Displaced
by 9science
Summary: In the early days, being Uchiha Sasuke was taking on a role, wearing a mask. That is, until Sasuke chose to embrace who he was instead of clinging to the maybe-before he had vague recollections of. This is life; what choice is there but to live it? But, hell. It would be nice if life were easier to predict. (OC/SI as Sasuke) (Sequel to Transposed)
1. Chapter 1 - Prelude

**Displaced**

 _All our times have come.  
Here, but now they're gone.  
Seasons don't fear the reaper,  
Nor do the wind, the sun, or the rain—_

 _We can be like they are._

* * *

 **Disclaimer.** I own very little. Certainly not Naruto canon. But this little slice of madness is my own.

 **Warning.** Crude language. Ninja-world violence and gore, possibly with vivid descriptions thereof. (Muses only know what else; I'll amend this after I finish.) **THIS IS A SEQUEL** **.** If you haven't read Transposed, you will be very, very confused. And if you haven't read the Transposed 'verse interludes (Chasing Shadows, Fellowship, Tempestuous)... well, you might be a little confused?

* * *

A prelude. The languid, eerie notes linger in the air.

 _It's spring, it's spring— the future is always just beyond that blue horizon!_

 _Hn— how long do you think, until it happens? Until this false peace shakes apart? Until my world starts falling apart again? Even then, even if the worst happens..._

 _Am I ready?_

* * *

"The Rookie Twelve."I muse out loud, glancing at my classmates as they lounge around the sizeable clearing at the center of this particular training ground, clustered in small groups of three or four. _Such as we are; though none of us are particularly green anymore._

 _Well, green in_ _that_ _sense anyway,_ I think idly, glancing in the direction of one Rock Lee. Youth-obsessed as Maito Gai, and looking more like the older taijutsu specialist by the year, Lee continues to wear a rather unsettling amount of green spandex... much to the chagrin of just about everyone.

Lee is chatting enthusiastically with, or rather at, Chouji; they just finished a light a spar— by Lee's definition. The latter is busy demolishing a giant platter of dango and only replies to what looks like every fifth comment. Chouji has shot up in height, almost as much as Shino and I, although he's far more obviously muscled than either of us. Still, while he might be built like a small mountain, Chouji remains as kindhearted and mild-mannered as ever, unless someone threatens his teammates. Or his food. Then the massive bo staff comes out.

Beside Chouji is a harassed-looking Shikamaru, a little taller and maybe an ounce more motivated—Kurenai-sensei is almost as terrifying a taskmistress as Anko when riled— but not truly different than he was three years ago when we received our chuunin vests. The two friends haven't had as much opportunity to spend time together since we started rising through the ranks. _Hell, since we made genin, really._ It became worse after Shikamaru's innate gifts for tactics were recognized by our superiors. He's on the fast-track to Jounin, or at the very least Special Jounin with a focus on tactics, and utterly wretched as a result. The current political climate isn't helping.

"Ehh. Not so rookie anymore, right?" Tenten replies to my comment with a grin, but doesn't glance up. Her focus is almost wholly on the well-used sharpening stone she's dragging over the edge of her kunai. Her last kunai. That is— she's finished sharpening a small pile already and packed them away in a deceptively small-looking holster. "They obviously need to come up with a better name." The kunai joins its fellows, and Tenten leans back with a contented smile, basking in the sunlight.

She's fought her way to special jounin due to her skills as a weapon mistress— storage fuuinjutsu and her ability to turn just about anything into a terrifying weapon made her a shoo-in for promotion to that rank. More recently, she's been focusing on adding elemental jutsu to her repertoire. _Seeing some of the things she calls weapons on fire is enough to make any sane man quail._

"Hn." _As long as we don't end up known as 'the lost generation'... or something equally trite or morose sounding. Though— if there is a lost generation, it's Kakashi-sensei's._ I shrug, calmly munching on a dango, a half-filled stick in my hand. Chouji has his own platter; the rest of us are sharing.

"Ha! Forget we can't all speak Uchiha again, Sasuke?" Kiba, sitting to my right, pushes his way into the conversation while grabbing for a stick of dango. Akamaru, now the size of a small pony, lets out a quiet woof of agreement from beside him. The giant hound is gnawing on a femur, left over from some large herbivorous beast.

"Sorry, Ten-chan," I grumble theatrically, "It seems I have to repeat myself in order to translate for the less... observant. You know— the lowest common denominator." I clear my throat, turn to face Kiba, and deadpan, "I hope the universal 'they' don't come up with anything too asinine." Tenten snorts, but doesn't reply otherwise, closing her eyes, and relaxing on the blanket she's reposing on— a nap-to-be in the sun.

And although Kiba bristles, he doesn't rise to the bait. He's grown a thicker skin, and matured a little. His general skills are solidly chuunin, and his ability as a tracker are beginning to rival his older sister's. But not his mother's. Not yet. "Nah, it'll be badass. You know, 'cause we're badass." The scruffy chuunin replies, reaching over and patting Akamaru's side, his canine partner wagging his tail in reaction.

My reply is a low, muted chuckle. I'll admit it; my voice dropping from a boyish tenor to a sinister-sounding baritone has made me more than a little self-satisfied. The voice does make me sound like a cliché villain, especially whenever I laugh; I use this fact unabashedly when crafting sound-based genjutsu.

"Sa~su~ke-kuuun! Stop hogging the dango." Rolling my eyes, I push the half-filled platter in the direction of Sakura's approaching from. "Have at it, menace. Take some for Ino-chan and Hinata-chan, too." She started doing that recently. Calling me 'Sasuke-kun' again, that is. It's not as entirely unwelcome as it was a few years ago. She's blossomed into a self-assured young woman and a decent kunoichi, pun entirely intended. And she pouts rather cutely when I tease her. Or when I show her up, on the rare occasions we practice genjutsu together. _That she's managed to mix genjutsu with low-rank ninjutsu, creating some kind of unholy combination more difficult to escape than standard genjutsu only proves she's earned the right to be called a proper, first-class kunoichi. We'll never be best friends, but we_ _are_ _friends, of a sort._

She refills a plate with half a dozen sticks of dango and retreats back to where she, Ino, and Hinata are gossiping. _Alright, I don't_ _know_ _they're gossiping, but I do_ _not_ _want to know what they're discussing, since Hinata's face is starting to resemble a well-ripened tomato._ _Probably Naruto. Probably boys in general._

Hinata is growing— given all connotations of the word. Nearly two years ago, she persuaded Tsunade to take her on as a student. More accurately, we convinced her to ask, and Tsunade practically salivated at the chance to teach a Hyuuga interested in iryojutsu. Having access to the accuracy of the Hyuuga's all-seeing eyes when performing surgery? Why wouldn't she be overjoyed, especially considering Hinata is a very enthusiastic student, so long as she receives positive feedback... And the Hyuuga heiress enjoys helping people, loves being a healer. Although Hinata is learning Tsunade's signature technique as well— the older kunoichi insisted— she rarely applies it in combat. At least, not while sparring. The combination of agility, flexibility, and the pinpoint accuracy required for the Hyuuga Clan's taijutsu combined with Tsunade-sama's strength techniques make her a formidable opponent nevertheless.

Ino-chan, dear sister of my heart, now rivals Anko's reputation for sadism, as we always knew she would. Except her specialty is psychological torture and not physical. Figures, considering she's spent as much time being tutored by Ibiki as Anko. _Wait. Does that make her the unholy Yamanaka love child of Ibiki and Anko?_ A mental shudder at the implications. My favorite Yamanaka can peel apart a veteran shinobi's mind— make him question his sanity, even his true loyalties... I fear for her future children. They'll never get away with any mischief.

Shino, while he has changed little in terms of temperament— still reserved and relatively formal, unless around close friends and family—is now nearly as tall as Kakashi-sensei, losing to him by two, three inches at best. So far I remain, much to my disgruntlement, slightly shorter than both.

And Hyuuga Neji? Neji spent almost a year and a half in and out of the hospital, first undergoing increasingly more experimental surgeries and later struggling through physical therapy. Once he was finally cleared to train, he very nearly rivaled Lee in his level of motivation. He worked his hardest not only to regain his skills, but also reconnect with his peers. _I'll admit; I was very surprised at the latter. Still. Although his encounter with Gaara nearly robbed him of both life and career, it led him to grow into a better man instead of a bitter one._ Rumor has it that Gai wept tears of joy upon seeing the surly teen's 'youthful ness' finally restored. _Wouldn't be surprised if it's true._

Neji finally made it to chuunin rank during the last exam, four months ago. He's the last of the so-called rookies to achieve that rank, but hasn't let that particular wound fester. He's... mellowed, I suppose would be the best word. And from what I can observe, he and Hinata have managed to repair their relationship, against all odds. He remains a little standoffish to everyone outside the original Team Nine, but Lee managed to convince him to attend to this impromptu picnic.

As the afternoon wears on, and our dango supplies run low, the scattered groups drift together, conversation flowing freely among us.

A loud, contented sigh. "It's so nice to have a day off!" Ino stretches her arms up towards the sky, then settles to sit beside me, on my left— apparently she and Sakura are finally done tormenting Hinata. "Even better, we have the day off at the same time! It's nice for all of us to get together like this, right?"

"Almost everyone..." Hinata murmurs quietly. While the stuttering habit is long gone thanks to the support of her genin teammates and sensei, she's remains a reserved, quiet young woman.

"Yeah, that's right." Kiba perks up, leaning forward to snag another stick of dango. "Hey, Sasuke... You probably know. When's Naruto going to return?"

 _Within the year is my best estimate._ "Hopefully before we descend into all-out war with Oto and whatever allies that lot has managed to scrounge up."

Ino smacks the back of my head with a scowl and quietly admonishes me for 'ruining the mood'.

I am entirely unapologetic.

"So... within the month, at this rate," deadpans Shino, ignoring Ino's actions. He's starting to rival even my level of pessimism. Well— his clan is among the best informed of the situation.

"Hn." I acknowledge his words with a tilt of my head. "Probably within the year. Jiraiya can't afford to drag him around the elemental countries for much longer." _Naruto would be too much of an asset in wartime, as cold as that makes me sound. So long as Jiraiya abstains from fiddling with his seal… Again._ I resist the urge to touch my neck and confirm the last hints of scarring were truly gone; they were.

 _Orochimaru and Otogakure— beasts, clawing at the borders of our homeland... And Akatsuki is somewhere out there— dogs baying in eagerness, preparing for the hunt. Danzou, possibly-very-likely playing at evil mastermind in the bowels of the village... And the Kami only know what else, waiting for the opportunity to screw over my comrades, my friends, my family._

 _Still, I wonder how long this uneasy peace will last._

 _Heh. How many shinobi have thought that thought in the past hundred years, I wonder?_

 _Naruto-kun. Come home safe, yeah?_

* * *

I feel no undue surprise when the invitation comes, one Friday afternoon. I've been waiting eagerly and at the same time dreading its arrival.

There is, however, a significant amount of irritation. I've just returned from an assassination mission from a town on the farthest border of Hi no Kuni and, frankly, considering the targets forced us to follow their trail through a total of five villages and two countries— all I want to do is eat excessively greasy takeaway, shower, and collapse into my bed for a solid nine hours of sleep, though not necessarily in that order. _I haven't even made it inside my front door!_ The hawk bearing the missive receives a rather scathing glare as I retrieve the scroll it's delivered, as a result.

"Message received." The bird screeches as it departs... And just like that, the mild throbbing that had been present for the past three hours due to lack of sleep, evolves into a full-blown headache. _Stupid bird_ , I grumble internally and petulantly slam the door behind me. Because, damn it, I can allow myself to be childish once in a while. As long as none of my friends or adorably eager former students are here to see it, anyway.

Dark green piping along the edge of the scroll—the message is important, but not something that requires immediate attention. Thus, I proceed to toss it aside and ignore it in the interest of maintaining my sanity. An hour and a half later, scrubbed clean and stuffed stupidly full of sinfully good food, my curiosity returns.

Retrieving the scroll, I relax on the couch and proceed to unroll it. I find a carefully inked seal at its center. "Hnn," I hum softly. _A sealing scroll?_ Touching the center of the design, I release a small pulse of chakra to open it.

A blank white mask, the number four painted on the forehead, clatters into my lap. Nimble hands catch the letter that follows after it: a formal invitation. Well, less an invitation and more a demand, considering some of the wording. _**Present yourself, dressed in standard chuunin attire and wearing the mask you have received at—**_. _To think that recruitment into that sort of group is handled in such a mundane way..._ Lips curling into a wry smirk, "Someone has an interesting sense of humor." A second glance at the mask proves even if the origin of the 'joke' is long gone, someone in charge still has a sense of humor.

And suddenly, despite my fatigue and lingering headache, today isn't so bad.

My smirk gradually shifts into a genuine smile, until I'm grinning like a loon. "You know, on second thought, I think I want dessert." _I want to celebrate._ True, I won't actually be able to tell anyone... especially if I make it through the month from hell— hazing combined with a training regime to make the fiercest ninja weep— that the message seems to indicate is required for acceptance into the ranks of ANBU. But even then, this is something I've been training for nearly a decade.

"Yes." Nodding sagely, I intone, "I definitely want cake."

 _Naruto-kun, by the time you become Hokage, your shadow will be waiting._

* * *

There are a total of twenty recruits. Judging by build alone, most of us seem to be young adults, and over three-quarters are male. The rest are either obviously female or blatantly, probably intentionally, androgynous. I fall into the last category due to my leaner build and long hair, currently pulled into a messy bun. The masks include a seal that disguises our voices, and we were all strongly advised to make use of it, so it's hard to make a guess on gender using that as a hint.

There is a recruit I recognize immediately, despite the identical attire and blank masks. The one labeled Eleven is unmistakably an Aburame— and I recognize the chakra signature. How could I not? I have no doubt he recognizes me as well; Shino's allies know the flavor of my chakra, and he's the sort to tag everyone in a room as soon as he enters, if not before. I have my suspicions about one or two others, but I'd have to see them fight to be certain... and that might not be happening any time soon.

The recruits are organized into five groups of four, according to their number designation.

Three figures in white cloaks step to the center of the room— three commanders. Behind them, a handful of ANBU in the more typical black cloaks linger in the shadows, watching. Scrutinizing. Their gazes are heavy with disapproval.

The tallest one— _that mask, is that an Inu?_ — speaks first. "Welcome, Candidates, to your personal hell."

Kuma— the figure on the right, their body language relaxed, continues the speech, "Hah! So, due to the current, hmm, tensions with Otogakure and Kumogakure, the amount of time we have to weed out the less useful of you lot is understandably limited. And the number of candidates is relatively large. So that means we're going to be extra dedicated to making certain only the useful ones survive."

"You have all signed the necessary paperwork, so we shall proceed with your... instructions." The figure on the left, Tora, states coldly.

There is a synchronized flare of killing intent from the ANBU present in the room, directed against the blank-masked, numbered candidates. The twenty of us tense as one. The pressure is immense; I can feel a droplet of cold sweat trickling down the back of my neck.

 _Intense,_ a corner of my mind analyzes, as the rest of me focuses on the potential danger; I do my best to ignore the pressure. _Much more focused than what Gaara and Shukaku were capable of... but not the same level of malevolence as the Kyuubi._ I frown at thought of the Bijuu, but manage to keep my body language relatively impassive, hand drifting towards my blade. A tantou, instead of the chokuto gifted to me by Itachi. Someone behind me buckles, falling to his or her knees, another candidate, far to my left, outright faints.

"...Not bad. It seems some of you, at least, have potential," murmurs Tora. Several of the candidates are ushered out of the room, quickly and quietly. Then, the commander on the right resumes talking. "Now, on to the fun part."

* * *

Contrary to popular belief, there aren't actually very many ANBU in the village at a given time. Or at all. They've simply mastered the art of being everywhere. Altogether, the ANBU contains approximately sixty to a hundred ninja, encompassing all specialties.

 _Is the one that escorted me home from the hospital that first time among them still? How many of these men and women watched me scream in the night as a child?_

The turnover for those on active duty is remarkably high. Ignore the rumored high risk of death— ANBU mortality rates are actually only a little above that for chuunin, despite the challenging missions and occasional near-suicidal odds. Still, few people stay for longer than a five-year stint. Because ANBU do stressful work, dirty work. Because joining ANBU means donning a mask and setting aside your morals for the village. At least, until you remove the mask.

Despite all that, no one truly retires from ANBU, not without a crippling, career-ending injury. ANBU is a lifelong commitment— thus, the infamous tattoos. They're seals, not just marks binding ANBU to service. So, while there are sixty to a hundred active ANBU, about half of the jounin and a sixth of the special jounin are so-called 'former' ANBU.

Interestingly, there are actually only three types of ANBU— three ANBU Divisions—unless you count Danzou's minions.

Division Ro handles security outside of the village. They are what we think of as ANBU in the most typical sense— infiltration, espionage, sabotage, assassination— responsible for a wide variety of disavowed missions on foreign soil.

Division Sham— laugh it up, someone clearly didn't think this through— are Konoha's answer to Kiri's Hunter-nin. People with exceptional capabilities in tracking and combat specialists; they are rarely sent out in teams greater than four people. There were rumors the whole division was mobilized to hunt Itachi-nii, but I have my doubts. Some of their duties overlap with Division Ro. For example, they are also often called for assassination missions. But predominantly, they are tasked with hunting down traitors.

Division Bo is responsible for internal security and actually include the barrier team. They also include the few fuuinjutsu specialists in Konoha. Since the destruction of the Konoha Military _Police Force, this division has swelled in size. Somebody had to compensate for the loss. Division Bo includes_ the ANBU most likely to interact with civilians, and regularly serve as guards for the Hokage. The most mentally stable and least likely to drop cover or 'disappear' a civilian acting hostile.

Within the divisions, there are a wide variety of fluid teams— much like in the standard ninja forces, teams are usually tailored to a given mission. Despite the strictly enforced anonymity of ANBU to the outside world, within the ANBU everyone knows everyone, both by face and name. Trust, after all, is key for teamwork, and high-ranked shinobi cultivate a healthy paranoia.

 _I wonder which division Itachi-nii was a member of. Or Sensei— odds are he's back among their ranks now._ Students in a formal apprenticeship actually have a large amount of unsupervised time to pursue their own interests, so long as they're not tied to a particular division. And if they're not in a division that gives work 'in house' so to speak, like T&I or the medic corps— well, they need to take missions to afford basic necessities. Certainly, Kakashi-sensei has more free time than when he was teaching a team of rookie genin.

* * *

He watches his two adorable little students. _Not so little anymore,_ he thinks with more than a little fondness. And they are his kouhai now, strictly speaking. The pair ghosts into the possibly-abandoned structure, swift and silent. Possibly-abandoned, because nothing in life is certain besides the finality of death. Things are even less certain when you are ANBU, and working from bare scraps of information.

While he would prefer to take point, this mission is the four rookies' responsibility, their trial by fire. _Probably not literally. Hopefully._ Neko is observing the other two; they're using an alternate entrance. It is possible, even, that they are entering a different bunker altogether.

 _Hmm... I'm still surprised Godaime-sama allowed me to recruit_ _either_ _of them for my division, considering I was their Jounin sensei._ Kakashi suspects that the only reason he'd been permitted to stake a claim on both Sasuke and Shino, assuming they thrived in the brutal and rather dehumanizing training that is required, which they had, was that there was a severe dearth people with any significant skill as a medic and disposition as well as skillset needed to join ANBU. And only Division Ro was currently down a fully-certified medic. Shino, on the other hand... well, their division could always use more information specialists, though he really was better suited for Sham. _So was I when I was first recruited, to be honest._

He forces himself to relax, one muscle group at a time, as he waits for ten minutes to pass. Kakashi trusts his students—his soldiers— and knows full well this is within their capabilities. But waiting is always difficult, and his men are exploring a serpent's den. Taking into account the fact that Orochimaru has targeted Sasuke specifically not once, but twice... A third attempt might be successful. This could be a trap _._ Admittedly, any mission they take could be a trap.

He focuses— he is Inu and not Kakashi right now. The two he is monitoring are Four and Eleven, soon-to-be ANBU, not Sasuke and Shino, the cute little brats that were once his first and hopefully only genin students.

Ten minutes pass quickly, and Inu is a shadowy blur; he reaches the entrance the rookies had entered through faster than most people blink.

* * *

Here it is: the first chapter of the long-promised sequel! (In the name of all things holy and unholy, why did I decide to write this before finishing the interludes?! Curse you, NaNoWiMo. I had such horrible burnout on this 'verse afterwards.) As mentioned above, if you do not read Transposed first you will absolutely be very, very confused. To minimize confusion, I suggest the following reading order for Transposed 'verse: Transposed, Fellowship, Tempestuous, Chasing Shadows, Displaced. Tempestuous is an "optional" Temari/Sasuke goodie, and a currently unfinished two-shot. Hopefully that will change soon.

...Yes, I named the three ANBU Divisions after Ro-Sham-Bo (Rock-Paper-Scissors). I'll admit, I was a little tempted to call them Jan-Ken-Pon. Nobody ever accused me of being sensible or having a normal sense of humor.

Will I show some ANBU training/weeding out the weak montage? Probably not, because I tend to skim over that sort of thing when I read. I suppose if someone really wants it, I might incorporate some flashbacks.

* * *

 **Per reviewer request, a condensed summary of Transposed 'verse:**

Weeks after the massacre of the Uchiha, the consciousness of a medical student in her late twenties wakes in the body of Uchiha Sasuke. While she has knowledge, whatever happened left her with almost no personal memories, and spotty recollections of Naruto canon. His/her memories of being Sasuke return over the next few days through dreams and nightmares. Sasuke obsessively researches the truth behind the murder of his clan in his family records, reaching the conclusion that the Uchiha were indeed planning treason due to their increased isolation within the village, among other things. Thus, he deduces Itachi was (probably) following orders.

He eventually decides that, whoever she was before, he is Sasuke now. Returning to the academy, he befriends Aburame Shino, using their shared interests— the boys collaborate to develop a variety of insect-based genjutsu. He also (grudgingly and with much protesting) begins to tutor Naruto, eventually coming to see him as an annoying little brother. He generally avoids the girls in his class— fangirls are disturbing— but is polite and genial to most everyone, if a little aloof.

The "rookie twelve" genin team and sensei match-ups are listed below. (Although by the end of their first year as genin, the kids were well adapted to working with each other and had some rudimentary ideas of their compatriots' skillsets.)

Team Seven: Uchiha Sasuke, Yamanaka Ino, Aburame Shino, led by Hatake Kakashi.

Team Eight: Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hinata, Akimichi Chouji, led by Sarutobi Asuma.

Team Ten:Inuzuka Kiba,Haruno Sakura **,** Nara Shikamaru, led by Yuuhi Kurenai.

Team Nine remained the same as canon.

The oft-maligned Wave Mission is completed by a team consisting of Hatake Kakashi, Aburame Shino, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto is the one "killed" by Haku on the bridge; Sasuke awakens the mangekyou as result. Disturbed that his first kill is slowly burning someone to death (literally), and genuinely terrified of going blind, he resolves to use the abilities it might grant as little as possible.

By the time the Chuunin Exams roll around, Team 7 is a well-oiled machine. Before the first exam, Sasuke encounters Temari, and they (surprisingly) hit it off.

Sasuke cannot think of a rational way to avoid participating in the Chuunin Exams without spilling his secrets and (possibly) waking up dead in a ditch. Maybe Orochimaru isn't crazy enough to infiltrate Konoha to try and steal him away anyway? Wishful thinking.

Shit hits the fan, Orochimaru manages to mark Sasuke with a Curse Seal despite Team 7's attempts to finish the exam as quick as possible. A lucky break leads to the seal never fully taking hold and instead being burned away.

The preliminary exams are nothing like his memories of a maybe-future, but at this point Sasuke isn't very surprised. Sasuke gives Hinata an emotional and physical beatdown during the preliminaries but apologizes afterwards. Neji is decimated by Gaara, resulting in possibly career-ending injuries. Sasuke is matched against Temari for the finals, and steamrolls her, even breaking her giant fan. After defeating her, tempted into using his knowledge of a potential future, he surreptitiously tries to warn her about Orochimaru.

The invasion is as chaotic as expected. Naruto and Sasuke end up facing (and eventually defeating) Gaara, leaving all three on the edge of chakra exhaustion. Sasuke and Temari have a brief confrontation before backup finally arrives. Ultimately, they choose to let the sand siblings flee. The Sandaime Hokage survives his fight with Orochimaru, but is hospitalized due to his injuries. Ororchimaru escapes relatively unharmed.

Chuunin promotions are handed out: Sasuke, Shino, Naruto and Shikamaru are promoted to chuunin rank.

Naruto and Jiraiya leave to find Tsunade, in order to convince her to heal the Sandaime. Kakashi et al. confront Akatsuki off screen, landing Kakashi in a sharingan-induced coma. Sasuke (with Shino and Ino following him) encounters Itachi and Kisame before they leave the village, and decides to confront Itachi. Itachi absolutely flattens our protagonist, but using **Tsukuyomi** lands them in a shared illusion, as Sasuke uses the same technique. Cue emotional dialogue, where Sasuke (relieved and horrified and a strange amalgamation of other feelings) finally learns that yes, his suspicions and suppositions were correct: Itachi was acting under orders. Eventually, he shares this information with Shino and Ino.

Naruto returns, and between his, Jiraiya's, and the Sandaime's efforts Tsunade is convinced to stay in Konoha and take up the role of head medic. Sasuke is not overly fond of Tsunade, but they form a decent working relationship, and she goads him into getting fully certified as a combat medic.

Jiraiya and Naruto leave for the expected training trip. Tsunade is (eventually) convinced to take the job of Godaime. Danzou approaches Sasuke, offering him an apprenticeship, but is politely rebuffed. Team 7 is formally dissolved, as all three will be pursuing specialized training in different fields.

At this point in the story... Sasuke has chosen to specialize in assassination, under the mentorship of Hatake Kakashi. His focus includes medical jutsu and lightning ninjutsu. He is a fully certified battlefield medic (much to his disgruntlement) and uses his knowledge of medicine to adapt medical jutsu for use as weapons in the field (e.g. using blood clots to kill a mark without arousing suspicion). He is a contracted summoner with the Salamanders—his partner is Kuroi, a rather bubbly young summons who is still growing (literally and figuratively) into her role as heiress. His relationship with Itachi is strained, but recovering; the two have corresponded discreetly, even exchanging birthday gifts. He is finds with Temari, but is not taking steps to pursue a relationship (despite Ino's teasing), although there is attraction on both sides.

* * *

Okay, a little bonus for those that made it to the bottom of the author note. The posting schedule for Displaced is tentatively set for one chapter a month, to be released on the 15th. This is until I run out of pre-written chapters... After that, I'm going to have to wing it. I am going to be mind-killing busy in real life starting April, but have set a side plenty of writing time for the next month and a half.

* * *

*Lyrics quoted at the top of the chapter are from "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult.


	2. Chapter 2 - Incidental Nightmare Fuel

**Displaced**

 **Act I— A Complicated Truth**

 _But in the end I'll be all right—_

 _Just not today and not tonight._

 _It's me you haunt; it's you I'll hunt._

* * *

In which there are unnerving revelations, and our protagonist resolves to get to the bottom of things.

 _There are things in life that I would be happier not knowing._

 _I'll learn them anyway; knowledge is power._

* * *

The soft hum of kikaichuu wings, the feeling of their tiny forms scuttling throughout his body. Contrary to what some of his comrades might think, both are a comfort. He is theirs, they are his.

He hosts three colonies now, with several distinct sub-populations of kikaichuu present in each due to meticulous breeding programs. There is even a small sub-population that is exceptionally venomous, more so than their nest mates. Best of all, according to preliminary tests, they are resistant to the virulent poison of rinkaichuu— the tiny, poisonous cousins of kikaichuu that so rarely find a compatible host in the Aburame. Were he to face an enemy shinobi that favors poisons he is not yet resistant to, or even a rogue rinkaichuu user, he has better than average odds of living through the encounter.

A total of three full-sized colonies is the upper limit that his body can contain. Reaching that goal required a significant amount of physical discomfort, as his body had to adjust not only to his allies' chakra needs, but also the increased space requirements and greater level of activity. Still, he had considered the challenge worthwhile when he started, and still does. After all, he can scout the entirety of what was once the Uchiha Clan complex with relative ease. He can control a swarm that can drain a human of Jounin-level chakra reserves in under a minute. Granted, landing that many kikaichuu on said hypothetical ninja quickly would be...

Still, theirs is a formidable partnership.

At his silent request, kikaichuu scurry from his sleeves and from underneath the hem of his jacket, a familiar hum filling the air as they lift away. They linger nearby until a veritable swarm surrounds him. With a thought from him, they enter through the square hatch that leads into the bunker-like structure beneath their feet. _Suspected_ _ties to Orochimaru. A summoner— ensure there are no substantial non-human chakra signatures. Test for low-level chakra-drainage that indicates active seals._ He ensures the latter two concepts are transmitted to his allies, and then glances to the side at his partner, Four.

Four is a sensor— well, Four is Sasuke, but he is technically not supposed to be aware of that fact.

All that enter ANBU training are stripped bare, metaphorically speaking. First, their names and faces are taken away. Whether clan heir or first-generation ninja, everyone starts at the same level. _Why? Taken at face value, the anonymity is_ _an attempt to remove prejudices and preconceptions. What it really means is a prohibition on easily identified techniques until the later stages of testing, eliminating those that choose to over-specialize from the recruitment pool. ANBU are supposed to be anonymous to the outside world.  
_

Survival quickly becomes the recruits' priority, and pride falls by the wayside. Skilled with strategy? Plan defenses against merciless teachers and wildlife alike. Attacks from either can come at any time— the only ones they can trust are their teammates, their fellow recruits. A skilled tracker? Hunt for food, keep your eyes open for signs of our enemies' passage. Medic? Patch up the wounded in the aftermath. Sleep and food quickly become luxuries.

Some would argue that by the end of training, even their humanity has been stripped away, and all that remains is a weapon, honed to perfection. In truth, this is a facade that ANBU work to maintain. Cold, aloof, inhuman— Konoha's best are to be nightmares made flesh for those that would oppose them.

Vengeful shadows that are without hesitation, without mercy, without fear.

At the end of training, they will be given a new identity and join a new, if eccentric, family.

And they are all weapons to be wielded by their Hokage— together.

Referring to his masked partner as Four, and himself as Eleven, even in his head, helps separate the then from the now.

Four wordlessly signals that he senses no humans within his range. None but the senior ANBU currently observing them.

Likewise, his scouts report neither foreign chakra signatures, nor chakra-based traps of any kind. _So far so good._ Eleven relays the intel to his partner. It is likely that Nineteen and Six, the other two trainees participating in this mission, have begun their infiltration. He and Four are to enter from what appears to be the front door, Nineteen and Six will use what may be an escape route that leads to... somewhere in the bowels of the structure.

Their shared task is to investigate the apparently abandoned complex, map it, and retrieve any potentially useful information.

Four indicates his willingness to enter first before reaching for the hatch leading inside. They've already checked thoroughly for standard traps, and found none. He descends the ladder after Four, letting the door shut behind them, a torturous groan of metal against metal.

When they finally reach the end of the ladder, light steps barely audible on the rusted metal, they stand in a long, empty hallway. Fuuinjutsu-powered fluorescent lights flicker above their heads— _likelihood of shinobi involvement in the construction increased_ – illuminating their surroundings. Slate gray walls, the monotony interrupted only by once-sturdy metal doors, several are left open— _whoever was here left in a hurry, and likely some time ago—_ and one on the right is completely encased in what appears to be rust, or perhaps a very large quantity of dried blood. The floor is cement, almost entirely intact, and lacking any significant stains. _Rust is more likely than blood._

The air is motionless, stale. Breathing in brings the taste of dust to his tongue. A faint scent of blood and rot lingers, though the source is unknown for now. The place appears abandoned— is entirely abandoned by everything barring some local insects— according to the allies he has scouting the area.

Four heads towards the first available door, reaching for the doorknob without hesitation. His eyes are sharp enough to catch any physical traps, and Eleven's allies have already checked for chakra-based ones. He pulls carefully, but the metal door surrenders without any significant resistance, swinging open with a loud groan that echoes down the hallway. The pair stiffens for a second, before continuing inside the first room. _Noisy and inconvenient,_ thinks Eleven _, but unavoidable, considering the general state of the area._

The first room is empty of anything interesting— a broken-down wooden desk and chair, a handful of scattered scraps of paper, and some mold lingering in the corners. The trend continues for the majority of the first floor, with them finding little more than leftover junk. Near the end of the hall, they reach a series of rooms that had clearly once been sleeping quarters, as indicated by the bunk bed frames and rotten mattresses. There are also a handful of rusted kunai stuck in the walls and ceiling, though no indications of dried blood.

The next door on the right hides an abandoned dining area connected to a roomy kitchen, both gutted after the departure of whoever inhabited this place. A few doors down they find what had likely once been an armory, considering the empty weapon stands and occasional senbon scattered on the ground.

When they finally reach the end of the hallway, they are faced with a stairwell leading downward, into the heart of the complex. A singe kikaichuu lands on Shino's shoulder. Shino nods slightly, and signs to Four— his allies have found no signs of life on the next two floors below them.

The scent of blood strengthens as they descend. _Unsettling._ The atmosphere grows tenser and Shino finds himself fighting the urge to communicate verbally and recapture the easy banter he could have with Sasuke. Four is visibly unnerved when they reach the next floor. The space is immense: a single room appears to encompass the entirety of this floor. Unfortunately, what appears at first glance to be a makeshift hospital is instead a research laboratory. It is in disrepair, but clearly had seen use more recently than the first floor of the complex.

 _I suspect we now know what happened to the less useful of the former inhabitants._

The air is filled with the sickly-sweet stench of rotting flesh. Cadavers, some partially or completely dissected while others are intact but for the decay, are strapped onto plain metal gurneys— little more than metal tables with wheels— each with a steel cabinet placed beside the head of the table.

Eleven and Four separate to more thoroughly inspect the room, eyes lingering on the bodies, hoping for clues.

 _Is there useful information to be found in this hellscape? And if so, is it truly worth salvaging?_

Perhaps ten minutes into their exploration of the room, Shino can see Four stiffen out of the corner of his eye. He glances to the side, body language indicating his concern. Four— no, Sasuke— stands still, fingers twitching slightly, belaying his agitation. He seems to be tempted to go for a blade.

* * *

 _I'm not certain if we should consider this a mission, or a test. Both, perhaps, like the assassinations that Anko-senpai shadowed me on._

The thought nags at me, even as I scan our surroundings, both with my sharingan eyes, and my sixth sense, the **Eyes of the Raijuu**. The bunker is cold, a little dank, and smells vaguely of blood, though there is no indication of a raid, just a hasty departure on the previous occupants' part. _Likely, they thought their operation, whatever it was, compromised. But then, why the lack of traps?_

 _...It's a little like walking through a ghost town._

 _A ghost town possibly inhabited by Orochimaru-spawned abominations, depending on what sort of stronghold this is or was._ _If, indeed, this was Orochimaru's hideaway as intel suggests._

There is little to see on the first floor, but Eleven and I investigate each room thoroughly nevertheless. The scent of blood lingers, and from the stairs, from below, comes a waft of colder air, carrying the stench of death, the sickly sweet-sour smell of putrefaction. Despite the smell, I avoid breathing through my mouth; the taste of death is something I'd prefer not to experience today. Or ever.

The smell makes me edgy, and I can see the same reaction in my partner's body language.

Predictably, the second floor we investigate is not nearly as benign as empty rooms.

Eleven and I split up, in order to speed up our investigation, hoping to find a desk or cabinet with records of some sort.

Whatever the reason, whoever orchestrated this... The room is a nightmarish landscape of human suffering. One that, knowing the rate of decomposition of human flesh in such an environment, has not been abandoned nearly as long as the floor above.

 _I shudder to think what lies further down this particular rabbit hole._

The room is filled with corpses in various stages of decomposition, strapped down on metal gurneys. Some were clearly dissected after their death— some are little more than strips of rotting flesh and yellowing bone. Others are nearly untouched. Men and women, a wide range of ages. Some look barely human— I scowl behind my mask at a woman with deformed, bat like wings, though they are clearly broken.

 _Medical experiments, perhaps? Experiments on people with bloodlines? Some kind of genetic mutation trial in an attempt to create bloodlines?_

Any of the three certainly sound up Orochimaru's alley.

And then, there are the children.

The one closest to me was likely a boy-child, considering what remains of the clothes. The child's short hair had been dark and spiky—vaguely reminiscent of Naruto's, barring the color. _Empty eye sockets._ The child's face is permanently frozen in a rictus of agony, as if he had been screaming and the horror and pain of whatever he experienced was so intense that the expression stayed even after death. And there are layers of scarring at the corners of his eye sockets, as if his eyes had been removed and replaced more than once— I repress the shudder of horror working its way down my spine, hands clenching into fists. This isn't the only corpse that's missing eyes, with signs that they had been removed intentionally and not just rotted away.

For someone that holds a doujutsu, such a fate— _What were they trying to do? Transplantation, or just... a perversion of medical experimentation?_ There is a jar on the cabinet behind the corpse. A single, empty eye—either brown or black— stares accusingly at the world. Forever.

Once, before the desensitization training with Anko-sensei and again during the hell ANBU call basic training, a sight such as this would have been enough to incapacitate me temporarily, to make me want to stagger into a corner and vomit. Now, there is only a vague sense of surprise when I recognize the feeling of nausea after my eyes alight on the boy's figure, and then on the jar.

True, in an isolated corner of my mind, disgust and anger war for my attention. But I compress the feelings, shaping them into a cold rage, a weapon for my future use. Motivation. _Remember your objective. Be more meticulous in your search for answers, and we will find the bastards that did this, cut them to pieces,_ _and burn them to less than ash, until even the memory of them is lost to the void._ If I didn't know any better, I would think this test was specifically designed to unnerve me.

I breathe, ignoring the cloying smell that clings to everything in the room.

Slow, even breaths.

Because even though I am a weapon, behind the weapon and the mask lives a person with morals, even if they would be considered barely scraps of scraps or morals in the eyes of civilians.

 _These people did not have an easy death._

I turn my attention from the scene— as of yet, there are no signs of paperwork of any kind, no journals detailing these grisly experiments or their purpose. _Disappointing, but not entirely unexpected._ This room looks— staged to shock and horrify an unlucky audience.

Catching Eleven's attention, I signal my intent to search for hidden doors, and that a thorough search by his allies may be warranted, receiving a nod in acknowledgement.

I do not sense any genjutsu, but when genjutsu are mixed with other arts they become more difficult to detect. Orochimaru, though not a master like Jiraiya, dabbles heavily in fuuinjutsu. _Could that be hiding our elusive stockpile of information? Or is there nothing to find after all? The base has been stripped down. This looks like either a very elaborate trap, or... No, I think Orochimaru—if this was indeed his base — would leave something to mock Konoha. Something besides just bodies. The snake seems to be the sort to stir up trouble. For his own benefit, of course._

Backtracking to the stairwell, I step close to the wall, hand hovering an inch above the surface as a guide for my chakra, and focus. Eyes sharp, tomoe of my sharingan no doubt rotating lazily as I search for the tiniest change in the wall's appearance/texture/sensation.

There is nothing for me to sense until I am about a quarter of the way around the room. _Here._ A slight irregularity, little more than a discreet tingling at the back of my mind. A trio of kikaichuu land on the suspicious area immediately after I arrive, their humming noticeably loud. One lifts off, heading back to the hive—I assume, to report.

 _Hn. I could take a risk and try to disrupt the illusion... But a safer approach is to allow the kikaichuu_ _to drain the chakra from this wall._ A glance to the side, and I can see Eleven approach. The number of his allies on the wall grows exponentially. _Interesting. That much chakra? A complicated genjutsu-fuuinjutsu hybrid, maybe?_ Using the quick gestures of ANBU sign language, drilled into our heads by merciless instructors and made even more effective by our familiarity with each other, I explain my theory.

The illusion drains away, into the bellies of hungry insects, revealing a pristine metal door. _With this sort of security measure... Hn._

There is a vaguely familiar pattern on the metal, the smudged remnants of an explosive seal. Unfortunately, Eleven's kikaichuu seem unable to penetrate into the next room. Unsettled, I reach for the doorknob, turning it carefully. The room is empty—no, there is a small, metal stool at the center of the small room, a leather-bound notebook laying on top. And there is a second door, directly across from us.

It opens, and I meet the surprised eyes of Nineteen, visible behind their blank mask.

Immediately, there is a soft, nearly imperceptible hiss. Eyes, widening in surprise, I am the first to break the silence we'd maintained during the operation. "Trap! Everyone out!" But it's not a snake summons that spurs me to speak— it's an explosive note. The entire room is layered with explosive seals, cloaked under a genjutsu that failed as soon as both doors were opened— enough to blow the room sky high, and us with it. And possibly level the entire bunker and the area surrounding it.

A litany of curses flashes through my mind in that instant, before logic reasserts itself. A flare of lightning-natured chakra, the instantaneous switch from using the energy to enhance my reflexes and speed from a low to high setting nearly causing my hands to tremble, and I veritably flash to the stool, retrieving the book— the bait— probably nothing but possibly everything, before fleeing the room, Eleven— no, Shino, on my heels.

An explosion rocks the area as soon as the hatch leading down to the bunker laboratory slams shut behind us, causing all six of us— four trainees, two watchers— to stumble. The earth crumbles behind us as we rapidly escape into the trees, but there are no further explosions. We're over a mile away before we stop running through the trees and regroup. I breathe out a soundless sigh of relief; all six of us are accounted for and unharmed.

 _That was close._

We all make it home safely, if a little shaken. We rookies ride the adrenaline high from our close escape, our minders keeping a close eye on us for any worrying habits, no doubt. I steal a moment to flip through the book I retrieved before I offer it up to my superiors. My sharingan ensures I'll remember every mark, every page. _If anything, curiosity is my cardinal sin._

It is a compilation of research notes, as expected. Specifically, it contains descriptions of kekkei-genkai transfer experiments. Hidden within the text are some suspicious statements made about the limits of transferring a sharingan from a native host, and a lack thereof on other known ocular-based kekkei-genkai. I choose not to comment after I hand the documents over to my superiors.

* * *

Soon enough, I am home again. Safe. Secure. As secure as possible in a village full of ninja, anyway.

The late hour assures that no one is likely to disturb me.

I lock the bathroom, turn on the shower, and set the water temperature as close to scalding as I can handle. It isn't long before steam wafts from the shower stall and begins to fill the room, blurring my view of the surroundings. It is only now that I can afford for my expression to reflect my emotional state.

I regulate my breathing as I strip, otherwise I will end up panting like an enraged beast, given the hatred swirling in my belly. It's not the fact we walked into what amounts to a mass grave that bothers me— I wouldn't be in this career if death bothered me. It's the very obvious amount of pain they went through. And for what? For science? Thing is, high levels of stress and trauma sustained over an extended period of time would skew the results of any sort of experiment. People are not so different from animals; we don't respond well to trauma, from a physiological standpoint. So, really, they suffered because whoever carried out the experiments on them was a sadist.

 _Damn. Can't reality cut me a_ _fucking break_ _once in a while? Or does my very existence necessitate a constant parade of nightmare fuel?_

 _No._

 _...Stop being so self-centered Sasuke. Admit it; you're angry at what Orochimaru did to those people. Because it could have as easily been Naruto, Shino, or Ino in his clutches. And you're ANBU now. You'll see worse. You might even have to do worse to Konoha's enemies._

My control over chakra slips at that thought, and the room snaps back into sharp focus as my pupils split into three swirling tomoe— I suspect the tenuous grasp I have on my temper is the only thing that keeps me from releasing the mangekyou and burning the entire building to ashes in frustration. If I start setting things on fire now, I'm not sure I would stop, not until someone jammed a kunai into my skull to stop me. The loss of control scares me. _Temper, Sasuke. Temper._

I punch the wall instead, taking care to reinforce my hand with chakra to avoid broken bones. The stinging pain— _just_ _scraped skin_ , I note idly as I heal the damage— and the large hole I leave in the wall makes me feel a little better.

"Tsk." _You're not a child anymore. You chose this path. Control yourself._

Having vented a fraction of the fear and rage I'd nurtured at the senselessness cruelty Orochimaru and his ilk are capable of, I climb into the shower, biting back a yelp over the heat, and begin to scrub myself clean of the smell of rotting corpses.

Afterwards, finally clean, if a little tender from both the intense heat and scrubbing, and having forced down some instant noodles filched from Naruto's emergency ramen stock, I finally consider what I'd found in that small, leather-bound book. Those notes.

I think, and then I laugh—a sharp, sinister sound, painful to the ears.

I laugh because I cannot allow myself to cry. Not anymore.

There's really only one conclusion.

The likelihood Orochimaru learned the drawbacks of a Non-Uchiha using a transplanted sharingan eye from Kakashi or his team— because such a weakness would have been kept secret during wartime, and afterwards as well— is infinitesimal. Considering that after the war, Namikaze Minato had become Hokage, and Orochimaru had begun isolating himself from the village...

Somehow, somewhere in the not-so-distant past, Orochimaru had access to the sharingan. Or, if I'm wrong— _please let me be wrong_ — to some rather private information regarding my sensei. Orochimaru, who appears to be a completely amoral mad scientist stereotype. Orochimaru, who according to my hazy memories of a possible (if now thoroughly negated) future, may have been allied with Danzou in the past. Danzou, who has an army of emotionless drones, very specific ideas as to what Konoha should become in the future, and likely the will to see it through.

 _I need to... If this is what I suspect it is, I need to do some very careful digging. Maybe sensei can help._

 _And then— I will need to speak with Itachi._

* * *

Surprisingly, all four of the potential rookies that survived the hellish training, as well as that exceptionally unpleasant information gathering mission, were inducted into the ANBU. Four and Eleven into Division Ro. Six into Division Sham— _unsurprising, Six was a stealth and tracking specialist, and demonstrated the temperament of a typical Inuzuka._ Nineteen into Division Bo.

We are gathered in that same austere meeting room where twenty possible recruits once stood. At the center of the room, stand the three white-cloaked ANBU commanders. The room is full of masked ANBU, likely everyone not away on mission or guard duty at the moment.

"Four, Six, Eleven, Nineteen... Trainees. Remove your masks, and forget your former designations," the one in the middle commands. There is a speech, about duty, about brotherhood, about— there is a speech, and I only catch the gist of it. I have no doubt this is true for all four of us ANBU rookies.

I am presented with a new mask, and a new name. The mask is vaguely canine— it could just as easily be a jackal as a fox, though the latter is implied by the blood red lines emphasizing the eyes. "Uchiha Sasuke, you are Mugen." I accept the mask with a wry twist of the lips. Shino, standing beside me snorts softly at that proclamation. _Mugen._ ' _Infinity' or 'Dream'. Really? Someone has an interesting sense of humor._

"Aburame Shino, you are Kou." Shino's mask is definitely feline, with a playful smile etched on, blue markings on the cheeks.

"Inuzuka Keiko, you are Ookami." The brown-haired girl—pretty, but with vaguely feral features— whoops in joy after accepting the canine mask with purple stripes on its porcelain-white cheeks. _And now I know they're mocking us._

"Hisui, you are Tengu." The green-haired boy bows politely, and eyes the bird-featured mask he is handed with an expression of immense satisfaction.

The commander nods, and as one the ANBU in the room pull their masks to the side. He does so as well, revealing familiar spiky silver hair and mask-covered face. Interestingly enough, Kakashi-sensei doesn't cover his eye when in ANBU uniform, just keeps it shut, the pale scar from the injury that led to the replacement of his original eye all the more noticeable. "Welcome to the family— Mugen, Kou, Ookami, Tengu." His body language mirrors the words, both welcoming and relaxed.

What follows is a flurry of introductions, though many of the shinobi are individuals I know by name and reputation if not by face. The atmosphere is relatively light, despite the seriousness of the event. We are introduced to everyone present, and then the ANBU split off into separate divisions, ostensibly so we can get better acquainted with our new teammates and receive our ANBU tattoos.

The tattoo, interestingly enough, is a series of layered fuuinjutsu that only the ANBU commanders and the people tapped to be their replacements are taught to apply. The thought of ANBU Inu, of Kakashi-sensei, secretly being a tattoo artist, makes me laugh internally.

Soon enough, it is approaching noon, and we are given leave for the rest of the day— told to take the afternoon off, go celebrate our accomplishment. We'll be contacted tomorrow regarding any necessary paperwork, more specialized training, and assignments.

Shino and I linger in the meeting room for some time, catching up with Kakashi-sensei, who'd been increasingly busy over the past year— although now we had confirmation as to why. Soon enough, it is well past lunchtime, and all three of us depart in separate directions. Shino heads to his family compound, Sensei to Kami only know where, and I back to my home, to continue my search for information on Orochimaru and Danzou in the clan records.

* * *

Sasuke has successfully joined ANBU, and deeper into the rabbit hole we go... So, dear readers, what do you think? (I think Sasuke is trying hard to find an excuse, any excuse, to investigate Danzou. Despite his initial plans to leave that mess alone until he had legitimate proof of misdeeds.)

Next update is scheduled for mid-April.

Finally, to the anonymous Guest who asked "Are you going to explain a bit more about Itachi and Sasuke's relationship? And how that changed?" Likely I will, as things evolve. Changes to their relationship during the timeskip, however, are covered in Chasing Shadows.

* * *

*Lyrics quoted at the top of the chapter are from "Something To Lose" by Phedora. 


	3. Chapter 3 - Awkward In-Between

**Displaced**

 **Act I— A Complicated Truth**

 _I'm not a fan of puppeteers,_

 _But I've a nagging fear,_

 _Someone else is pulling at the strings._

 _Something terrible is going down,_

 _Through the entire town,_

 _Wreaking anarchy and all that it brings!_

* * *

 _Always in pursuit of answers, of that elusive thing called truth._

 _How is this my life?_

 _...I chose this._

 _I must remember that I chose this._

* * *

"Good morning, Sasuke-senpai!" A youthful voice pierces the early morning quiet. My second most favorite Aburame is standing next to a small bookstore across the street, waving enthusiastically in an attempt to catch my attention. She's become much more outgoing and energetic since I introduced her to my summons— particularly Kuroi-chan. _In retrospect, I'm not certain it was such a great idea... Ah well. What's done is done._

 _Since I have some time before I plan to meet Sensei—_ Obligingly, I hop down from the rooftop paths, falling into step beside her when she starts walking. "Morning, chibi. How's everything at the Academy? Speaking of school; shouldn't you be heading that direction right now?"

She blushes slightly at the teasing, "I wanted some advice, but when I stopped by last week, you were gone, so... I'm going to take the graduation exam." _Ah, that's right. It's that time of year._ "It's review week right now, so attendance isn't really mandatory. And you're way cooler than Iruka-sensei."

Chuckling softly, "Don't write him off completely just because he's so fond of lectures." _Iruka-sensei is a very kind person and dedicated to his job. He has to be, to put up with snotty brats for so many years._ "So, what sort of advice are you after? It's been a few years since I graduated, but I doubt much changed in the curriculum." _Revamping it is just not a priority right now. Although if the conflict with Oto spills into open war, the Academy will refocus towards practical work._

"Ah... Is the rumor I heard true? That there's a secret exam?"

I tilt my head slightly to the side as I smile, "Hn. I wonder?" _It's an informal rule, but we're not supposed to discuss the true genin exam._

Hotaru-chan is bright enough to understand. "E-eh! I didn't really believe it... Another test after the standard academy exam?" She frowns, kikaichuu humming her worry, "Do you have any advice for it?"

"Hmm, nothing beyond the advice I gave you when we started actually practicing genjutsu. Do you remember?"

"Un, I remember!" Hotaru practically beams with pride, parroting my words back at me, "One of the most powerful tools a ninja has is his or her mind. If you can't overpower your opponent, outthink them. Being tricky is its own strength."

I nod, flashing my student a small, genuine smile. "That's right. I'm glad you haven't forgotten. Everything else you need, you should have learned in class. I know you'll make us proud." Reaching over, I ruffle her hair, chuckling when she slaps my hand away with an annoyed huff.

"I have the morning free. How about we grab breakfast, and you tell me about your current projects?"

"Sure!" She chirps, "Actually, I also I wanted your opinion on a jutsu I've been working on, I was thinking that lacing the air with a hallucinogen—"

* * *

The noonday sun is warm, but not overwhelmingly so. The rays spray over the stone of the memorial, abyssal black but the light reveals a glimmer— tiny sparks, like stars in the void.

His eye lingers on the usual names.

 _ **Uchiha Obito.**_

 _Ne, Obito-kun, are you proud of who Sasuke has become? He's your cousin, after all. I think you'd be a little annoyed, he's more similar to me than you in terms of personality. You'd like Naruto-kun, though._

 _ **Nohara Rin.**_

 _Hmm... I bet you would be working directly under Tsunade-sama by now, Rin-chan. You'd be happy that she's back in the village and insisting on better medical training for our shinobi._

And, finally, _ **Namikaze Minato.**_

 _Sensei, I'm sorry. I never did get to train your son, despite my efforts. By the time I had a chance, Jiraiya snapped him up... typical, right? I always—_ He cuts that line of thought off and continues with a more optimistic one. _By all accounts, he is growing up to be a fantastic shinobi. And he has good friends looking out for him, just like you and Kushina-nee would have wanted._

There are other familiar names etched on the stone, of course. Many, many names— he has been in the game long enough to outlive many colleagues. Today, he feels... relatively content. It's been a relaxing morning. He's described the latest of Jiraiya's novels to Obito, told Rin a little village gossip about a new civilian flower shop struggling to compete with the Yamanaka, and updated Minato-sensei on the status of his son, as well as bragging a little about his cute little students.

His solitude is disturbed by the arrival of his favorite student— not that anyone will ever know that, let alone Sasuke. He glances at the younger man, but Sasuke doesn't speak, merely nodding a polite hello and settling into a meditative position, cross-legged, with hands on his knees.

For a while, there is silence, disturbed only by their breathing, and the unobtrusive sounds of the local fauna, going about their daily lives in the surrounding woods.

Kakashi spends the time trying to determine the exact moment when Team Seven changed from being students, green soldiers to torment and teach, to friends and, finally... family. Because that is what his cute little no-longer-genin are— his younger siblings, his children. Even if it has been several years since they were officially his. _Well, all but Sasuke._ As always, he wonders at his luck and then, remembering another Team Seven that had been a family, wonders when the other shoe will drop.

Because Hatake Kakashi is not allowed to have a family.

Still, his cute little protégé is obviously stalling.

 _Sasuke-kun, I am almost ninety percent certain you didn't decide to seek me out on one of your very, very rare days off to share a quiet moment._

 _Hmm, on second thought, at least seventy-five percent certain._

He is only somewhat surprised Sasuke senses his growing curiosity, and speaks, "Kakashi-sensei... I need something of a favor. There's something I'm curious about."

"Oho? Well, alright."

Despite his relaxed manner, Kakashi can tell his student is anxious. "How much can you tell me about Elder Danzou?" But the question is more about Danzou's organization than the man himself.

"Hmm." _And what inspired this dangerous line of questioning, I wonder?_ "That depends." _Mostly on what you intend to_ _do_ _with said information. Why are you asking, Sasuke? Did he approach you again?_

"No; it's not that. It's more personal than last time."

 _Personal? The only things you consider personal are family and friends._ An unsettling line of thought. Regardless, the easiest way to receive an answer is to ask; so Kakashi asks. _"_ What brought this on?"

"I read a very interesting book. You know the one."

 _You read it? Of course you read it, had to know if the information was worth risking your life. Curious to a fault, so long as you don't break any rules overtly. Well, I suppose that's rue for most shinobi. Still, we're treading a dangerous line, discussing something like_ _that_ _out in the open. But... if neither of us sense a spy listening in, one is highly unlikely._

"Hmm, maybe. What was it about?" _Considering what we saw on that mission; I can guess. Do you really believe that Danzou is associated with those experiments somehow? True, the man is ruthless, and there have been suspicions of association with Ororchimaru in the past. But_ _Orochimaru_ _is the one obsessed with kekkei-genkai._

"Lost children. It reminded me a little of my family. I want to see if I can find a sequel."

 _...Damn it, Sasuke._ Kakashi remembers now, belatedly, the other reason he never wanted a genin team.

Turning towards his student, taking care to convey seriousness instead of his usual relaxed nature through body language, he asks a pointed question. "You are going to pursue this regardless of what I say, aren't you?"

"I enjoy reading." Sasuke flashes an unrepentant smile, and it is entirely fake. His eyes remain somber.

The taller man sighs, but eventually nods his acceptance. "Alright." _I trust you. Be careful._ "I'll tell you as much as I know. It's been quite a long time since... well, you know I prefer other kinds of literature." He adds the latter with a perverse giggle, amused when Sasuke rolls his eyes.

* * *

I spend two months combing through paperwork, cross-checking birth and death records starting from seven years leading up to the Uchiha massacre—while civilians begin to forget their early childhood memories around age seven, ninja often recall episodic memories as far back as age three or four even as adults, and untrained children of ninja tend to fall somewhere in between— with the public records listing the dead from that night. Eventually, I come to the inevitable conclusion: if anyone kidnapped Uchiha children that night, or stole the eyes of the dead, I will need access to documents from either Danzou's organization or Orochimaru's research to prove it.

Unfortunately, that notebook we risked life and limb for is long gone, buried somewhere in ANBU records or perhaps being analyzed by the research department. For that matter, I probably shouldn't know too many details about its contents anyway.

Both opponents are likely out of my league. But since Orochimaru is definitely out of my reach... Danzou it will have to be. But I'll need more help than just Kakashi-sensei's grudging advice and hazy, decade-old memories.

Another month of fruitless searching passes before I can arrange a discreet meeting.

This time, Itachi comes to me.

For once, I am not camping out in the wilderness. Instead, I am spending the night in a mid-sized, relatively upscale hotel in Tanzaku Gai. My temporary chuunin teammates and I will journey back to Konoha tomorrow. The room is even free of charge, courtesy of our client, who owns the hotel in question. My partners for this mission will likely spend the evening carousing in the red light district. Per their request, none of us are sharing a hotel room; our rooms are across the hall from each other.

In short, this is as ideal a situation as I can hope for; requesting solo missions too often or on a noticeable schedule would be suspicious. Not to mention the risk involved; while I'm certain I could either successfully kill or escape most of the idiots on Orochimaru's payroll, I'd rather avoid testing the theory. And avoid confronting Orochimaru in general.

I return to my room to find a familiar figure closing a window—a window that had not been open when I departed in search of dinner.

There is a moment of silence, as I lock the door behind myself and pause, gazing at Itachi from across the room— "Thank you. For agreeing to meet." _Your trust means a lot to me._

"Silly little brother," comes the reply in an even, emotionless tone. _Is that the way it is? Not the healthiest approach, perhaps, but I am far from the paragon of mental stability either._

I tilt my head towards the tray resting on my left palm— a lightly steaming pot of tea with two cups beside it. "...Tea?"

"Hn." A slight nod, barely perceptible, as he sits.

I pour us both a cup, and join him on the couch, sipping the hot beverage quietly. Soon enough, my cup is half-empty, and I've yet to say anything. I set it aside on the nearest flat surface— a small side table— with an internal sigh.

 _Even after several years of contact and the occasional meeting, this is really fucking awkward. Not that I'm surprised but, more disappointed, maybe._ What makes it worse is that, by nature, I am a tactile person.I was always the most tactile in our immediate family, with Mother being a close second; Father and Itachi were far more reserved. I'd always been ready to pounce on, hug, and cuddle with Itachi-nii... And while I still am demonstrative like that, especially with Naruto, Shino, and Ino, circumstances have, understandably, stripped me of the easy trust I once held for Itachi.

I want to remedy that. But overcoming over half a decade of fearing him? Years of nightmares that caused anxiety, terror, paranoia and everything in between? _It's more surprising I can be in the same room as him than my— issues._

Itachi nudges me gently with his shoulder, shaking me from my morose thoughts. His eyes are warm, and corner of his mouth twitches upwards as he reaches over with his right hand and ruffles my hair— _oh, and now he's laughing at me. Great. Now this is_ _awkward_ _and_ _embarrassing._

A few minutes of contented silence, I decide that if I don't ask now, I never will. _And candor is probably the best approach._

"Nii-san. I have a request."

"Hn?"

"Listen to my logic first, before pointing out the obvious flaws?"

The older Uchiha arches a brow at that, but nods.

I take a deep, steadying breath, gathering my thoughts. "...A man like Danzou. Do you really think he didn't spirit anything away that night? Children young enough to forget their origins? Sharingan eyes plucked from their owners' heads? Yes, ANBU were responsible for securing the bodies, but—" _Not all shinobi are solely loyal to the Hokage. You know that more than most. And how much of the mission was sanctioned by other factions in village? Do I really want to know who turned a blind eye? Not really._

"Neither of us could oversee the funerals, for... obvious reasons." _I was comatose, and you were fleeing from said ANBU._ "If nothing else, clan records and jutsu. I am loath to let him gain anything from the tragedy he helped orchestrate."

"There is little point in chasing ghosts, Sasuke-kun. Paperwork isn't worth risking your life."

"I— some of the things I've seen of Orochimaru's research has made me suspicious. Far more suspicious than I was before." _Meeting you here is already flirting with treason, so I suppose I could explain in detail, but I'd rather not._

 _This is more than paranoia._

 _Please believe me._

A vision of the eyeless boy-child, old scars on his face, as if his eyes had been transplanted repeatedly— _stop. This is_ _not_ _the time to be distracted._ So I continue, expression stubborn, despite the fact I can sense more than see Itachi growing tense. "I've made some discreet inquiries to people I trust implicitly, but information is limited. Is there anything you can tell me about Danzou's organization?"

"Sasuke-kun."

"Yes, pursuing this is dangerous. More than dangerous. I know. Being a little reckless is necessary." _If nothing else, Naruto has taught me that. Ha! Learning to do the impossible from the most impossible person in the world._ "Reckless, I can do. Learning the truth of things would be worth it, for me." _I've certainly proven that before._ Reaching up, I comb fingers through my bangs— fidgeting, a nervous habit I usually suppress. I suppose that means I am becoming used to his presence again, despite everything.

 _As much as I want that, it may be dangerous if we need to fight seriously in the future. Sparring last time was unwise; I shouldn't have asked. Even if it gave me more information on Itachi's physical health than he would have betrayed otherwise._

 _We should probably limit further contact. Face-to-face contact at least._

"While I would dearly love to see the people that arranged that night dead, this isn't about revenge. I said it before: I don't care about revenge. I just want to be certain they're not still profiting from what was done."

Itachi closes his eyes in—frustration, perhaps? Or resignation? "You want to infiltrate his organization?"

"Not exactly. While he tried to recruit me— I did turn him down, and both you and I know that Danzou is not foolish enough to believe in a sudden change of heart. He might approach me again in the future, but there is no guarantee."

A slight nod, with an accompanying "Hn" of agreement.

"But with enough information, it should be possible to appropriate copies of that organization's records. All organizations, no matter how secret, create a paper trail. Admittedly, this would have to be planned and executed carefully. But if he's been doing what I suspect? Well, accurate record keeping is key for experimentation." _For any kind of research, really._

 _Shino and Ino, would probably... no, they_ _definitely_ _would help, if I asked. I won't ask. I don't want them to risk their careers on a suspicion, however. Naruto— he'd follow me to the ends of the earth if I asked. That's Naruto. But he's far away, and he's better off not getting involved, anyway. Kakashi-sensei, as much as I trust him— he won't say anything about my investigation, but he would put the village first. Involving him any further is too risky. The rest of my friends..? No, we're not close enough._

"If I can find anything genuinely incriminating, Tsunade-sama would back me, especially if I ask Naruto to help convince her. Perhaps Sandaime-sama would as well, retired or no." _This is partly his mess, after all. Still, I'm not actually certain either would support me, not without me trying to back them into a corner with blackmail. Which would be a phenomenally stupid idea._ "Even if neither agrees, I'll still be in the right, politically speaking, in the eyes of the other clans." _Internal politics might pressure them enough to offer up at least lip service publicly._ Shrugging, I admit, "I've already started looking through records. It will take time, but despite the current political situation, I have time at the moment."

"You've reviewed Uchiha clan records before."

"With a different focus in mind," comes the quick retort. It's the closest I've come to admitting I may have been a bit too single-minded in the beginning. I sure as hell won't admit my current search has yielded nothing definite. "And you're avoiding it, the fact that a man like Shimura Danzou would take any and every advantage."

A tense pause— finally, a resigned sigh, followed by a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. "Very well. I can see you will not be dissuaded from this path." That he might as well improve my chances of success is strongly implied with his body language.

I feel a wave of relief, though I try to limit any visible signs of it. "Thank you."

Turning, Itachi taps gently at my forehead, "You did not need to worry so, little bird. Ask, and I will support you." That he will do so even if he disagrees with my decision is strongly implied by his tone.

"Nii-san." _I know that._ _And I love you for it, Itachi-nii._ "I'm not a child anymore." _I can make my own decisions, good or bad. Trust me, or at least trust in my abilities._

"You will always be my otouto." _It is the duty of an older brother to watch over and protect the younger, huh?_

"Hn. A younger brother can protect his older brother, too, so don't expect me to always step aside."

 _You have given up so much already. How could I ask more of you and still be able to look myself in the eye?_

* * *

He doesn't really know what to think of Sasuke.

Recollections of the bright, kind-hearted little boy that idolized him war with the current reality. Each letter, each fleeting meeting reinforces the idea that Sasuke is different, no longer the child he once was. He recognizes that some of those changes were forged by his own hand— through blood, loneliness, and pain. Through his own attempts to shape Sasuke into someone that would not hesitate to end his existence.

 _Another childhood broken by the shinobi system. But more so by my failure, by my short-sightedness._

No matter his intelligence or experience as a shinobi, at thirteen Itachi had been... somewhat limited in his world view.

Still, some things in this older Sasuke are familiar. He clings to the idea of family as strongly as he did as a child. And yet, how he defines family has changed. Further still, this Sasuke is old enough, strong enough, bullheaded enough to fight what a sane man would consider impossible odds— for his sensei, for his teammates, for his friends. And miraculously, despite everything he has done, this list of precious people apparently includes one Uchiha Itachi.

Sasuke remains a genuinely kind and forgiving person at heart, despite his efforts to hide it. Masks behind masks, behind masks... that is as aspect of shinobi life familiar to Itachi, but not something he expected from his overemotional little brother.

Sasuke is a medic-nin, and for the first time in years, Itachi can breathe easily. The disease he thought would either kill him or inevitably lead to a moment of weakness, a mistake in the field that would result in his death, is gone. And while his vision still fades, slowly but steadily with use of the sharingan... No one said an Uchiha must kill his or her sibling to exchange eyes. And Sasuke, too, is cursed with the mangekyou.

 _Silly, stubborn little bird._

Each time they meet face to face, Itachi half-fears that Sasuke will ask to come with him. Because Sasuke's loyalty is to people, not to Konoha itself, or to an ideal like the Will of Fire. Were he the sort to believe in Kami, Itachi would pray that question never comes.

 _I do not know what I would say. I know what I should say: no. Because he is the last hope of a future for the Uchiha, for our family. Is it fair, that I ask him to be such? No. _But the life of a missing-nin is not one he would wish on anyone, especially not his little brother. _And yet..._ Itachi knows his own faults. Sasuke is a weakness, his greatest weakness.

If asked, he does not know if he would say no.

Itachi regrets.

He regrets much in his decade-long shinobi career, but most of all that he could not watch Sasuke mature into the willful young man he is now.

His musings are interrupted by the arrival of a chakra signature at the front door to the suite. It's Sasuke-kun, of course. He drops the genjutsu cloaking him from view as the door opens and reaches back to shut the window he'd entered through.

The hotel room fills with the scent of a blend of tea he recognizes, one favored by— _Otou-sama._ He ignores the familiar pang in his heart, idly wondering if that blend was chosen on purpose. _Unlikely. Odds are this is something Sasuke-kun does not consciously remember._

They share the tea in silence after a brief exchange of greetings.

Itachi wavers between amusement and sadness at Sasuke's attempts to grow more comfortable with his presence. He should discourage it. This can only end in tears. They both know better— but he allows himself an ounce of selfishness. Just this once.

A nudge, to distract Sasuke from his thoughts. He reaches over and ruffles his younger brother's hair, so similar to his own, fighting back a smile at the disgruntlement that flickers momentarily on Sasuke's face.

"Nii-san. I have a request."

At least his actions seem to have prompted Sasuke to explain why he'd asked for a meeting. He listens with growing trepidation to Sasuke's new obsession. _More secrets. Another truth to search out. Another self-imposed mission, no less dangerous than the last._ Investigating Danzou's organization is far more dangerous than looking into the past misdeeds of the Uchiha.

He argues back, trying to convince his otouto to see sense, playing devil's advocate at every turn. Inwardly, he is not so convinced Sasuke's assumptions are wrong.

 _You're planning what could easily become a suicide mission. An unauthorized one that can have you censured by the village. But— I would not put it beyond Danzou. If there are Uchiha children that have been disappeared into that organization..._

 _What would I do in your place?_

It is that last thought is what gives him pause, keeps him from arguing harder. Uchiha Itachi learns from his mistakes. All that is left for him is to decide if he will help or not. And, in the end, was there any doubt?

 _Of course, I will support you, little bird._

Separated by distance and— to most of the world, at least— allegiances, the Uchiha brothers nevertheless stand together.

And that is simply how things are.

* * *

Sasuke is a stubborn, suspicious little ninja with an obsessive personality. Itachi's issues have issues. (Neither should come as a surprise.) Trouble is brewing. Thoughts?

Thanks for the review, Joebob323. Regarding your question- yes, we will eventually see ANBU Sasuke kick some ass. (Though not necessarily in uniform.) Any significant Sasuke/Temari interaction will take longer because of [redacted spoiler]. I hope to finally update Tempestuous before then, too. Because surely the muses are not so cruel as to give me writer's block there forever?

Oh who am I kidding, they totally are.

* * *

* Lyrics from "Discord" by The Living Tombstone.


	4. Chapter 4 - Hidden Things

**Displaced**

 **Act I— A Complicated Truth**

 _And finding answers,  
Is forgetting all of the questions we called home,  
Passing the graves of the unknown._

* * *

As someone once said— it is better to walk through darkness with a friend beside you than walk alone in sunlight.

Never underestimate your friends; they are the family you choose.

(Choose carefully, and love with your whole heart.)

* * *

There are approximately two dozen Root-associated locations large and inaccessible enough that records could be stored within. I've cobbled this map of mine from Itachi and Kakashi-sensei's recollections and extrapolated other possible locations by abusing the hell out of the ability of the sharingan to see patterns.

 _There are far more than a dozen locations if I widen my search criteria... but I can worry about the less likely ones later._

Root headquarters are likely based in the maze-like warren underneath Konoha; I plan to stay the hell away from there if possible. My targets are what appear to be randomly placed bunkers throughout Hi no Kuni. There a handful of facilities placed outside our borders as well, of course, but those are even less accessible. Besides, who would store sensitive information there?

Getting into these bunkers could be problematic, as I must remain undetected. Even given my facility with genjutsu, this is going to be troublesome, as some might say.

 _Still, despite the fact that Kakashi is my superior officer, he didn't stop me. And Aniki didn't require_ _that_ _much badgering to agree... Who am I kidding, this is a crazy idea._ _But as long as I acknowledge and accept the risks, that's fine._

Leaning forward, I scrutinize the map. _The seventeenth is probably too well-protected for an early attempt. I need to become more familiar with their security before going there. Regardless, that leaves several options: two, thirteen, fi—_ a familiar voice interrupts my thought process. "I seem to recall that we had this discussion before, Sasuke. Particularly after you insisted on facing Uchiha Itachi alone."

I flush in mortification at being snuck up on. Unless I'm actively focusing, the members of Team Seven don't register as a danger to my senses. Glancing over my shoulder, I find Shino looming in a rather unsettling manner. 'You are involved in something dangerous and attempting to leave us behind again' is strongly implied in his glare. It's an… oddly specific glare.

He eyes the map I've been bent over for the past half hour with suspicion. "Ino sent me. You are late for dinner," he adds as an explanation for his presence. We're both on an 'off' week for ANBU, focusing mostly on training and taking lower ranking missions close to home. Messenger duty, gathering intel, bandit elimination... Maintaining our cover as chuunin. At least that's what I'm supposed to be doing.

"Hn." I gesture to the map, scowling. "I'm busy."

"Unimportant. You will be joining us for dinner, unless you wish to deal with Ino in a mood." Reaching over, he grips my shoulder, leaning forward. "You have been distracted. Ino is worried." And she's not the only one; the fact that he's initiating any sort of physical contact is an obvious sign.

"You are not permitted to leave us behind again. Why? Because we are a team. Do not make me repeat myself."

 _Shit, but I should have expected them to pry._ Fingers combing through my bangs, I sigh in frustration. "...Did Kakashi-sensei put you up to this?" _On the other hand?_ Waving a hand, I dismiss that idea, "No, never mind—" _It's unlikely, and you wouldn't admit it anyway._

"Shino, this is related to what we discussed after the last time I was... distracted. And—" _that mission as Eleven and Four_ , my hands sign in the shorthand that mixes ANBU signals and the more personal sign language our genin team developed. The immediate tenseness in his frame and soft hum of aggravated kikaichuu signal his understanding.

"Given that, are you certain you want to get involved?"

Giving a reassuring squeeze to my shoulder before releasing it, Shino nods solemnly, "Yes. And Ino does, as well. Have we not said so already?"

 _Even if it could easily be misconstrued as treason? Hell, forget_ _misconstrued_ _, even if this can easily become treason!_

I close my eyes in defeat, knowing they won't let this go."Alright." _If we fail, we fall together._ I seal the map and relevant notes away, storage scroll disappearing into the depths of my pockets. "Then let's go to dinner before Ino decides we're both trying to skive off."

Mealtime is tense; I am distracted by my thoughts and pick at my food. The meeting we have afterwards even more so— but I now have two willing co-conspirators, much to my chagrin.

Even so, it feels good to know that I am not alone.

* * *

It takes weeks for the three of us to scout the more low-risk targets and choose one to infiltrate. I must admit it would have taken me five times longer were I trying to do this by myself. Once again, I find myself immensely thankful for my friends' unwavering loyalty.

 _I honestly don't know what I did to deserve them._

We decide to begin with what appears to be, according to some preliminary scouting by Shino and his allies, a rarely-used bolt hole. Said bunker is conveniently located near a Konoha outpost, on the far side of Hi no Kuni. Convenient, as chuunin messengers typically deliver missives to said outpost on a monthly basis. As current intervillage tensions mean nobody below full jounin rank travels alone, a 'lucky' duo of chuunin is assigned to the task. That duo being Ino and I— she recently petitioned for mission time outside of the T&I division.

 _Looks like Fate is on my side for once. Funny how that is._

Ino and I travel through the trees a reasonable speed for chuunin, taking advantage of the forested terrain. Summer is slowly relinquishing its grip, and the leaves that surround us as we travel have are vivid shades of yellow and orange, with the occasional smattering of red. The morning that we set out is cool and crisp, but by noon the oppressive heat and humidity of early autumn in Hi no Kuni has reasserted its dominance.

We arrive at the outpost precisely on time, and leave early the next morning, after a quick breakfast of the usual nutrient-rich but barely palatable rations. A few miles out, I gesture, weaving an illusion to cloak us, and we melt into our surroundings. We veer from the officially planned course back to Konoha, heading towards our target.

Soon enough, it is in view. A ramshackle hut, its roof half-caved in by rain, a young tree peeking out from within the resulting hole. The building looks decrepit, as if it is about to be swallowed up by the forest. It does not look like a suitable shelter even for the most desperate traveler.

 _Impressively unappealing._

We linger at the edges of the overgrown clearing the hut is in, safely hidden in the foliage of a large oak. I tap Ino's shoulder, murmuring quietly, "I've covered both of us with a sound-dampening illusion. Unless you tie in and start feeding it chakra, it will only hold for fifteen minutes after I depart. Twenty at best." I sense no other human heartbeats in the area. "Play lookout for me?" She is more than capable of intercepting and incapacitating anyone that approaches the building.

Ino rolls her eyes— we decided our roles early into the planning phase for this renegade mission— but nods nevertheless, adding, "Be safe."

"I'll be fine." Flashing her a roguish smile over my shoulder, I give a small wave before dropping to the forest floor.

According to Shino, who was responsible for initial scouting, the entrance should be inside a half-rotted wardrobe. Carefully prying open the shack's only door, I peer into the dank room, letting my eyes adjust to the low light. My eyes catch the glint of light reflecting from ninja wire, as thin as spider silk and sharp as any blade, and easily overlooked by an unwary intruder. A veritable web of filamentous, clear wire covers the floor at roughly ankle-level, a second layer is placed a little below chest-level for an average-sized adult male. Additionally, there is some sort of seal painted on the far wall— just slightly off-color compared to the surrounding wood. Suppressing a sigh, I activate my sharingan, taking a closer look at the walls and floor for any other hidden surprises.

 _This place... is completely loaded with traps. And I really need to study up on more obscure fuuinjutsu used for security._

I step carefully, torso twisting this way and that to avoid the wires, nimbly weaving through the possibly-very-permanently-lethal obstacle course. Making it to one of the farthermost corners of the hut requires acrobatics, but I am up to the task.

The wardrobe is remarkably innocuous. After examining the outside thoroughly, I nudge the doors open with my foot. There it is—the entrance. In full view.

 _I can't help but think this is too easy..._ Stepping back, I turn my head and consider the seal on the wall. _I suppose I could try to overload it, but even if that works, it might cause an explosion... Hn. No, I suppose it's better to call for backup._

Hands flying through familiar gestures, I intone, " **Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Nao** ," placing my dominant hand on the ground. Black script crawls down my hands, forming a circular seal on the dirt floor.

There is a sound of displaced air, and a waft of light gray smoke.

The salamander that appears is unusually small, about the size of a cat despite being a fully-grown adult. And the reason that I summoned him? Nao specializes in fuuinjutsu. "Nao-senpai... could you take a look at the seal on that wall?" His specialty are seals for demolition and storage, particularly storage seals that can hold unstable poisons. This is because, despite his coloring, a particularly vivid neon green, Nao has no poison of his own. Nor does he have chakra control fine-tuned enough to be more than an average medic. What he does have, is a head for mathematics, a steady hand, and a mind like a steel trap. So, understandably, he adapted. He is one of the few salamanders that dedicated himself to a field other than poison-based techniques or iryojutsu.

"Ah, Sasuke-kun, you always get into the most interesting messes! As far as I can tell, that's one part doorbell, and one part lock. Needs you to pulse your chakra in a specific pattern to unlock the door. And if you choose the wrong pattern... you notify whoever's on the other side and, well, you can guess the result."

I curse vehemently under my breath. _So much for a stealthy approach!_ "Any chance you can figure out the combination?"

"Hmm... Well, it's not my specialty, but I should be able to build a temporary workaround. Give me a few minutes."

A tense ten minutes later, I touch the seal, pulsing my chakra— three short bursts, and one long one. The hatch in the wardrobe opens soundlessly.

"Anything else?" Nao demands tersely. "I've got teaching to get back to."

"...Come along and help keep an eye out for traps, please? Somehow I doubt that's the last of them, and your fuuinjutsu knowledge by far outpaces mine."

"Sure, sure. I suppose I can." Giving a put-upon sigh, Nao clambers over to my outstretched arm, then hurries up to my shoulder, settling there and looping his tail around the back of my neck for stability. This gives him a better vantage point, and is no hassle to me.

Nodding in thanks, I stand to my full height, and reach in the wardrobe to pull open the hatch. "Thank you, Nao-senpai. I appreciate it."

The air is a little stale, but otherwise unremarkable. _No scent of blood or death this time_ , I think with a sardonic smile, _not yet anyway._ Cloaking us in a genjutsu, I enter a winding hallway leading downwards, the floor at perhaps a forty-five-degree slant.

The walls are the plain grey of solid concrete. I follow the path slowly, footfalls silent, pausing at each turn— the hallway proves to be a downward spiral. _No doubt a defensive measure._ Regardless; the traps are easy enough for us to spot, and no living enemies make themselves known. I cannot sense any heartbeats besides Nao's quiet flutter, and my own steady beat.

The first archway we come to leads into a small office— modest metal desk paired with an uncomfortable-looking, unembellished chair. A half-empty bookshelf stands to the left of this set. A quick perusal reveals a handful of training manuals for more common taijutsu forms and the like. The only thing of interest on the shelves is a leather-bound, unlabeled book. Flipping through it, I find what appears to be detailed records of supplies— cookware, basic first aid kits... It seems to contain lists of things procured for this hideaway; again, nothing exciting. I let the cover fall shut, and slide it back into place.

Stalking back out of the room, I continue on my way. In short order, I find a moderate-sized training room with lightly padded floors, with a fully-stocked armory attached. The next door leads to a dormitory of sorts, six narrow bunk beds packed into a relatively small space; the arrangement is such that the room feels claustrophobic. Next, a dining hall and kitchen, fully-stocked with non-perishable food.

 _This place just seems to be an unused bolt hole._

 _How annoying._

All that effort, and this bunker is a complete bust. The only interesting things inside are the traps.

Amusingly, despite his grumbling about the chaos I always involve him in, Nao seems just as disappointed by this fact as I am.

* * *

Early morning light filters through the canopy above her, bathing the wooded area she's watching in a golden-yellow tint. The morning is quiet, barring the birdcalls, the usual sounds of forest wildlife going about their mornings. The air is clear and crisp, a cool breeze rustling the leaves hiding her from view.

 _So boring!_ Ino bemoans in her head as she waits, settled in a relaxed crouch. Balanced on a large, sturdy branch, the trunk at her back, there's not much to do besides watch and wait. _Why_ _did I miss taking missions out of the village again?_ She can't quite recall. _Ah well. I doubt Sasuke-kun's self-appointed task is much more exciting._ _And in this case, boring is probably a good thing,_ she admits, nose wrinkling in distaste.

The crackle of a branch breaking underfoot pulls Ino from her reverie. The birdsong disappears.

 _Noise? How_ _unprofessional_ _._ Anticipation blooms to life in her chest as she waits for the likely enemies to approach closer. She eases into a standing position, form relaxed, eyes gleaming with amusement, donning a predatory smile. _I suppose I'll just have to teach them a lesson._

Her opponents are trio of ninja, one visibly younger than the other two, and most likely the least experienced of the three— that much she can tell at a glance. _Least experienced, does not mean the least dangerous, mind._ While their body language is neutral and their cloaks and masks similar to the ones worn by Konoha ANBU... well, considering their approximate ages, the blank masks are all she really needs to see to verify them as potential targets. _Hm!_ She thinks with a twist of her lips, _Let's see how strong Danzou's mockups truly are._

 _ **Shinranshin no Jutsu**_. Her will and chakra are as sharp as any kunai, slicing into the two older shinobi's minds, severing their control of their bodies. The youngest shinobi in the trio startles in confusion when they turn, and thus is quickly felled with a blow to the side of the head.

Ino lands in a squat behind her two temporary puppets, brushing off her shorts as she rises. She directs them to restrain her unconscious hostage, first tying him securely to a tree, and then casually shattering his wrists— a sharp crack that echoes in the clearing— and tying his fingers together in a complicated pattern. She does the same to her two temporary lackeys, before releasing them into unconsciousness with judicious use of violence— blows to the back of the head.

Humming softly, she strips her fallen adversaries of their weapons, then their masks, finding their faces are reassuringly unfamiliar. Lastly, she checks them over for any last gambits— suicide capsules in their teeth and the like. She does find some of the latter, and gleefully extracts the suspect teeth. The seal she finds tattooed on their tongues, however, is more troublesome, to quote one of her oldest friends... It is not as if she can remove that particular appendage and still expect a coherent conversation.

 _On the other hand, there are always the Yamanaka specials, too._ Though experience has taught her that as feared as her family techniques are, they are not fool proof. Nothing ever is. A sufficiently well-trained mind and powerful will can resist her. When used against shinobi targets, Yamanaka jutsu designed for information retrieval are best used in combination with torture, or at the very least, psychotropic substances. A well-kept secret, and the reason why Yamanaka often take a year or two working in Konoha's T&I department.

Waiting for one of her new playmates to regain consciousness, she toys with the idea of stripping them naked, just to be extra sure they're defenseless. Besides, there is a certain amount of psychological stress they would suffer because of the lack of control. It might be to her benefit.

It's certainly not because she's a bit of a letch due to Anko's influence. Really.

Surprisingly, it's one of the two she'd subdued with her jutsu that begins to stir first. Brown hair, hazel eyes— wholly unremarkable face. She checks on the other two, injecting each enemy ninja with a dose of sleep-inducing poison to ensure they remain incapacitated.

"Oh? I'm glad you're awake, shinobi-san! We're going to have such fun." She says with a beatific smile, kunai dangling loosely in her left hand. _Let's see how long it takes to make you sing._

By the time Sasuke returns from his venture into the bunker, Ino is scowling, gaze drifting between her three downed opponents, flipping a bloodied kunai in her off hand. She eyes the restrained shinobi with a hint of frustration.

Sasuke quicks a brow in question, gesturing to the haggard-looking trio, "I see we have company. Anything useful, or..?"

She shakes her head, "Bastards won't speak. They're not mute; they can scream just fine. There is some sort of seal on their tongues, paralyzes them when they try to reveal anything useful. And, well... Their minds are protected somehow. I can incapacitate them, but their surface thoughts are— slippery, is probably the best description. I've never encountered anything like it. Unfortunately, we don't really have the time for a proper, deep mind-dive." _And I don't know if it would help, anyway. For all we know, they have a suicide seal that is triggered by that level of mental contact._

Canting his head slightly, Sasuke glances to the Salamander perched on his shoulder. "Nao-senpai, would you be willing to take a look?"

The summons hops down from the Uchiha's shoulder and scampers over to and up the torso of the closest enemy shinobi, prying his mouth open, surprisingly nimble digits grasping the man's tongue. A quick look and he is ambling back, expression apologetic, "Sorry, Sasuke-kun. That seal is beyond my skill level. It's something an Uzumaki could unravel. Or the toad's perverted summoner; he's supposed to be a master."

"I see." Ino and Sasuke share a glance, understanding passing between them. _We won't be able to get anything more from them._ All three Root shinobi summarily find themselves with a kunai buried in the back of their neck, severing their spines. The cadavers are swiftly incinerated with a fire jutsu; the only hint of their passing is the trio of singed tree trunks. That, and a tongue etched with a fuuinjutsu, secured in preservative fluid in a small glass jar.

After sealing away his prize, Sasuke bows to Nao. "Thank you again for your help. Any requests?" The green salamander gives him a shrewd look, before nodding resolutely. "Omuraisu."

It takes a moment for Ino to understand the exchange. _Ah! He bribes them with his cooking? Sasuke-kun, that's so unfair!_

"As usual, huh. I'll send your portion back with someone after I get home. Tell Kuroi-chan I said hello?"

"Hmm, of course. She'll be glad to hear from you as usual." He nods sagely, "Anyway. It's been fun, but I suppose I should get back to work." The salamander disappears with a near-silent pop, leaving behind a waft of grey smoke.

Ino grins impishly, batting her eyelashes at Sasuke. "Ne, Sasuke-kun... So can I have some Omuraisu too?" Chuckling softly at her antics, the Uchiha nods, "Sure. You know I'm glad to cook for you and Shino anytime."

* * *

Many of the places that Shino, Ino and I infiltrate are locked with that alarm seal. Always, the entrances are rigged with an abundance of traps. Often, alarm seals as well as trap-type seals are distributed throughout the hideaways we explore. We seldom encounter Danzou's shinobi, and after the first time, those we do see remain unaware of our presence. No need to interact with them. After all, there's nothing to gain from an encounter.

I pass through the various hideouts and bolt-holes like a ghost, barely stirring the air. Always searching... But there is little information to be found, incriminating or otherwise. A sinking feeling settles in my gut. I begin to suspect that we will have to consider infiltrating the maze concealed beneath Konoha.

Luckily, on the seventh attempt, I finally find what I've been searching for.

It is a small room, tucked away from the central areas of this base. Dim lighting illuminates rows of shelves, tightly packed with scrolls. The room is relatively clean of dust, and I spot a discreet seal above the doorway, a standard preservation one I recognize. It is likely no one comes here with any sort of regularity.

 _Good, then if I find any incriminating information, I can replace the scroll with a blank._

The shelves are labeled with dates, and several sport small, carved symbols. Clan symbols. Some are familiar, but most are not.

After scouring the area for traps, I grab the nearest offering—a scroll from a shelf without a clan symbol, and scan the contents. I find a long list of names and ages, occasionally with an additional mark or note beside the name.

 _ **Male, Age: 14, Designation: Sora**_

 _ **Female, Age: 17, Designation: Nana, potential medic.**_

There are records of younger children—toddlers— with even less information. A string of numbers and letters instead of a 'designation' or name.

 _ **Male, Age: 2, SZ0093, poor eyesight.**_

Checking the symbols present on the shelves, these are likely records of clan members shanghaied into Root over the years, whether willingly or not— Aburame, Kurama, Nara... a handful of others. The number of scrolls for clan members is significantly lower than those with apparently civilian backgrounds. A few minutes, and I locate records marked with a familiar uchiwa fan. There is, indeed, a scroll dated after the massacre.

I suppress a reflexive snarl, expression twisting with anger before it smooths into a neutral mask. _I really hate being right._

A close examination of the paperwork reveals that there are Uchiha currently in Danzou's clutches. I scan through the records hurriedly, sharingan active, mindful of what could be a limited window of opportunity. This base has been empty of life so far, but...

 _ **Uchiha Male, Age: 15, Designation: Sai**_

 _ **Uchiha Male, Age: 11, Designation: Noh**_

 _ **Uchiha Male, Age: 7, U0016**_

 _ **Uchiha Female, Age: 5, U0027**_

 _ **Uchiha Male, Age: 3, U0042**_

 _ **Uchiha Female, Age: 3, U0043**_

Horror curls in my chest, the feeling of a serpent constricting my heart.

Six children.

Six children, mostly boys, all of them younger than me. Judging by the ages, several of my newly found cousins were likely conceived in a test tube. And guessing from their 'serial numbers' and the difference in age— whatever process Danzou's people use does not have a high likelihood of success.

I clamp down on my emotions further, swallowing my anger; I can't afford to descend into a rage right now. Leaving traces of my presence could place me under suspicion, yes. If there are members of Root in this bunker I would likely have to fight my way out, as well. More importantly, if I get caught now, those children— _innocents, my_ _blood_ _, my_ _family_ _,_ _my responsibility_ — would remain in Danzou's custody, if not culled to hide his misdeeds.

 _Only the_ _Kami know what he's planning to use them for._

I inhale slowly, and then exhale, pushing those thoughts aside. The incriminating scroll is tucked away, hidden on my person, replaced by an empty fake. I stroll aroung the room, picking a handful of other scrolls at random and replacing them with blanks as well.

I have the proof I need.

* * *

Well. The level of casual violence certainly went up more than I expected/planned. (When did Ino become so terrifying? She insisted on having some screen time, but did it have to be so disturbing...)

Also, please pardon me while I laugh maniacally.

Quick question— should I up the rating to M? It's hard for me to guess the appropriate rating given that ninja-world violence is... yeah. I'm not planning to write smut, but you should expect the level of violence to increase as conflicts escalate.

Finally, for guest reviewers:

 **Xiu** : No problem, I think I got the gist of what you were saying. No, I'm not planning on writing yaoi or slash. Barring something wild and weird spat out by my muses, Sasuke is going to be pursuing a relationship with Temari.

 **Felius** : Sasuke's summons were intentionally not mentioned in Transposed and instead revealed in a Transposed 'verse side-story (Fellowship). They're also mentioned in a second side-story (Chasing Shadows). Per several reviewer's requests, I've edited the first chapter, adding a summary of what has happened so far in Transposed 'verse at the bottom. But assuming you read this chapter, you'll know what his summons are before you get to this message...

* * *

*Lyrics quoted at the top of the chapter are from "Shattered" by Trading Yesterday.


	5. Chapter 5 - Stir and Simmer

**Displaced**

 **Act I— A Complicated Truth.**

 _Hey-ay-ay!_

 _Hey-ay! If crazy equals genius,_

 _Then I'm a fucking arsonist!_

* * *

I am madness, rage, and flames. I may hardly know _what_ _I'm doing anymore, but I remember the most important thing: I remember_ _why_ _._

 _Whatever the repercussions, it's far too late in the game for me to stop._

* * *

"Look, Uchiha, you're putting me in a difficult position. You do understand that I can't actually do anything about this." She gestures towards the manila folder I'd placed on her desk nearly fifteen minutes ago, data painstakingly organized to describe what is happening in the dark underbelly of her village. Our village. Besides the scroll listing the Uchiha children appropriated by Danzou, I salvaged quite a bit of information about Root's recruiting policies before common sense drove me to retreat in order to avoid discovery.

 _You mean you won't do anything about it. I'm not even asking for a sanctioned mission!_

"It would be a wild goose chase. And before you open your mouth to argue Uchiha, I do not want to know where or how you got this information."

 _Is that it? You'd rather bury your head in the sand?_

Pushing the folder back in my direction, and waving a hand in dismissal, she declares, "Let it go, and just be very, very glad I haven't decided to demote you for this." In other words: by pursuing this, I am dallying with insubordination. I could be docked pay, put on probation, or even punted back to genin rank... I could be dismissed from the ninja forces. Hell, I could be buried in a dark hole and forgotten—alive or dead.

 _Although, what's to stop me from acting? Loyalty to Konoha?_

 _Is it really treason, if the organization never existed in the first place?_

"Now shoo, I need to finish these clinical notes before they inevitably drag me back to the tower."

 _So... you are an adversary and not an ally, after all_. _I should have kept my initial impression of you,_ _Senju_ _._

Despite her casual dismissal, I continue. _I won't back down. Screw my career; this is more important._ Eyes narrowed in a fierce glare, I can feel chakra simmer under my skin, responding to my emotional state. I am rapidly losing my temper.

 _I will_ _not_ _let some old lush intimidate me into doing nothing, Godaime Hokage or no._

Perhaps I've completely lost my mind, but— my palms slam against the smooth surface of the Hokage's desk, piles of hospital-related paperwork shifting at the sudden tremor. "And if there were Senju children among them, what would you do, Tsunade-sama? Let them disappear further into an organization that doesn't officially exist?!"

Because we are both orphans, alone in the world but for the family we choose ourselves. Because there is as much of a Senju Clan in Konohagakure now as there is an Uchiha Clan. Yes, there are differences. The Senju have been dying a quiet death, whittled down in number during the past three shinobi wars, while the Uchiha went down in flames, in part due to internal politics.

 _But, damn it all, you should be able to sympathize!_

"Don't raise your voice at me, Uchiha. Your so-called proof is suspect, considering how you likely found it." The woman grits her teeth, her returning glare no less ferocious than mine. Unyielding. "While I understand your position—" And I can feel the last vestiges of control I have over my temper snap at those words.

 _Bullshit!_

"I do not need your understanding!"

 _How can you know something like this is going on and just look away?!_

"Do not raise your voice at me, chuunin."

Struggling to reign in my temper, I lower my voice back to what could be considered a reasonable volume. "Those children don't need your understanding. I am not trying to submit a request for an official mission. I'm not even asking for your explicit approval at this point." There was, after all, more than one reason I'd broached this topic in her office in the hospital, after ensuring proper privacy seals were activated, and not in the tower.

 _At this point... Just look the other way._ _Look the other way, and_ _I will find a solution to this. Somehow._

"All I want you to do is acknowledge, here and now, what that unscrupulous son of a bitch has been doing."

 _I'll erase that man from existence even if it kills me._

"My. Hands. Are. Tied." She forces out from between her teeth, anger in her eyes, the air heavy with both our chakra. "Leave. Do not bring this up again."

 _...And so, Senju, you choose to do nothing at all? If this is what– I am starting to understand my father's decisions._

 _Fuck Konoha._

My rage shifts from hot to cold. I take a slow, measured breath. Then another. A third. I am infinitely surprised she hasn't thrown something at me yet, especially when I started yelling; her volatile temper is infamous.

The silence becomes uncomfortable as the seconds pass. "I see." _Damn it all to hell; I don't even know what I was expecting from you._ Even as I regain my outward calm, my thoughts become more poisonous. _I hope Naruto sees you for what you truly are. A coward, a slave to village politics. No, forget hope, I'll make sure of it._

"Thank you for your time, Hokage-sama." I bow stiffly and exit, swiftly, out the window.

 _Well. I probably just set off every alarm possible in her head. Surprising she didn't have the ANBU on duty drag me from that room in chains._

 _Still. I should have a little time before Danzou gets wind of this._

 _What does this change? Ultimately, nothing. So what if I have to move up my timeline? I go ahead with my plans and declare it a clan matter if called to defend my actions. If I succeed, I'll have enough legal backing to at least stay an execution. Otherwise... the alternative is to cut ties and run._

 _And if I fail— I'll be dead anyway._

 _Shit, but Naruto is going to_ _kill_ _me. And Itachi... I don't know._

 _I'll have to live and find out._

* * *

A warm, relaxing afternoon.

The sun occasionally darts out from between the clouds, keeping the day pleasantly warm but not too much so. He had so been looking forward to a few hours of quiet when Tsunade appeared, visibly annoyed and, ostensibly, seeking his advice.

 _I'm retired._ He thinks petulantly, though none of that shows in his demeanor. _Can't you just leave me to enjoy my research, my shogi, and training my grandson?_

"Tsunade-chan, what do you want me to say?" Folding his hands over the cover of the book he'd been planning to enjoy before he was interrupted, he arches a brow at his former student, "Given the information he discovered, did you really expect him to respond differently?"

 _He's an Uchiha; they're notoriously hot-blooded and have obsessive tendencies. That said, considering the circumstances— you probably would have been better off supporting his venture, if surreptitiously. Unless... using him as a distraction? Both cunning and more than a little cruel._

The kunoichi in question huffs, and shakes her head, muttering vehemently under her breath, "Bloody obnoxious Uchiha; granduncle was right." But it is not quietly enough to escape his notice; Hiruzen may be old, but his senses are as sharp as ever.

 _So that old rivalry lives on after all._

Pausing to gather her thoughts, Tsunade continues her search for an explanation for the scene she'd both witnessed and contributed to earlier that day. "Hiruzen-sensei, what else can you tell me about Uchiha Sasuke? My interactions with him have been limited— besides the collaborative work we did studying the side effects of sharingan-based illusions about three years ago, and some other medical research of similar nature. He seemed reasonable enough, then. Sure, I had to listen to Naruto-kun talk my ear off about the brat for far too many hours... Those don't mean much in the grand scheme of things."

"Beyond what can be found in mission records and the like?" A thoughtful hum, as Hiruzen considers his options, "Do you remember the secrets you were read in to after formally taking the seat? Sasuke is aware of the one pertaining to his family."

"What." Tsunade deadpans, "You're telling me one of the—much as I hate to admit it— most talented young shinobi in this village is aware that—"

 _That the near-complete eradication of his family, his clan was planned by a faction in the village? That the people that orchestrated that mess still_ _live_ _and remain unpunished? Yes._

She bites back the rest of the sentence, looking disturbed, "And he's still loyal."

 _Interesting, that you say it as a statement rather than a question, Tsunade-chan._

The Sandaime Hokage sighs, retrieving his pipe from a pocket, filling it, and setting the contents alight with a minor Katon jutsu. "Don't fool yourself. Uchiha Sasuke's allegiance lies with the people he considers family. He is fiercely loyal to Naruto-kun, to his teammates and Kakashi-kun. Possibly to the rest of his former classmates. But that young man holds no great love for this village." _Not like Itachi-kun._ _And considering how long a fire can smolder, and how hot an Uchiha's hatred can burn... we are perhaps lucky Sasuke-kun fixated more on protecting his friends than pursuing revenge._

A tendril of smoke rises from his pipe. He follows its rise with his eyes, watching it dissolve into the air. The heady scent of his favored tobacco is soothing. "Do you have a clearer view now, Tsunade-chan?"

 _This is going to mean trouble. Still, I wonder if the boy is rash enough to confront Danzou directly. That would be a very dangerous choice... No doubt my scheming old friend has heard news of your argument by now._

"Unfortunately." The Godaime Hokage scowls, brows furrowed, "What's worse is that he applied for a block of nearly three weeks of leave, to be taken at his discretion. And it was approved, considering he almost never takes time off, barring the time off required after high rank missions, or those with increased risk of psychological trauma. So, of course, it was approved. Last week."

Hiruzen chuckles softly at his student's obvious ire. _So he outmaneuvered you, Tsunade-chan. He was already prepared for you to dismiss his findings._ "I see."

"Then, I suppose your options are to either apprehend him now..." _And not only make yourself an enemy for life if you let the boy live, but also alienate many of the shinobi in his generation, including Naruto-kun. And you will draw the ire of Konoha's clans if his reasons come to light._ "Or wait and see what happens, and deal with the fallout." _Which, amusingly enough, sounds close to what you implied_ _he_ _should do._

"But you knew that already." The Sandaime Hokage concludes, dark eyes sparkling with mischief, "Could it be you just wanted someone to talk to while avoiding your paperwork, Tsunade-chan?"

* * *

I return home more incensed than disheartened. I suppose by now, I expect people in power to disappoint me.

Storming into my bedroom with a bitter sigh, I head for my desk, quickly signing the notice of leave before setting it aside. It would be delivered to the correct department immediately after my departure. Sliding out of my chair, I arch my back, stretching until I hear the rumbling crackle of popping joints, and turn to leave the room.

And then, I reconsider.

My will is up to date and stored in a secure place. It's a habit strongly encouraged in shinobi, especially in children from recognized clans, both minor and major. The salamanders will deliver a notarized copy to the appropriate people if I die.

No; there is something more important than that. I should— I have to— write things that I would regret not saying if I do not make it back from this damned venture. _Hn. The similarities are getting a little unnerving; it really is starting to sound like I'm planning to commit suicide._ Shaking my head, I flash a sardonic smile at the place my thoughts are headed. _Well. This_ _is_ _a mission I'm not likely to return from, one way or another._

My expression turns bitter as I sit back down at my desk and consider how to word the first letter.

 _How morbid..._ _This should be good for getting my head on straight, if nothing else._

 _ **Sensei,**_

 _ **About my decision— in this case, I have no regrets.**_

 _ **Please tell Ino not to cry. I know her; she would cry, after she stopped punching things. This is simply something I have to do. (It is probably foolish of me, to throw my life away on a chance to change fate, but... Well, I never believed in fate anyway.) I can honestly say I died fighting for what I believed in. The best way to go, really, besides protecting the people precious to you.**_

 _ **My family is precious to me.**_

 _ **But, back to the point— I wanted to say thank you.**_

 _ **For watching out for Team Seven, for teaching us to survive even when we acted like ungrateful little shits (me most of all), for helping us take the first steps on the path to realizing our dreams. For being like a second father to us. Thank you, for being my mentor and my friend. I would not be half the shinobi I am today without your guidance.**_

 _ **I'll see you on the other side. (Don't hurry, and do try to eat healthier. I can't be the only one you know that can cook a decent curry.)**_

 _ **Uchiha Sasuke**_

I don't know why that letter was the first to come to mind. Except, perhaps, I don't wish to give the man another person to mourn. The next two letters are to Shino and Ino, then to my most annoying little brother...

 _ **Naruto,**_

 _ **I couldn't keep my promise to stand as your shadow after all. I'd rather be at your side, but— you know me, I find trouble almost as well as you do. There was so much I wanted to say when I started this letter, but—I think I'll just say the most important.**_

 _ **I love you, brother.**_

 _ **You'd better become the best damn Hokage**_ _ **ever**_ _ **or I'll never forgive you.**_

 _ **So, I'll see you when I see you. (But I better have little blonde grandnieces and grandnephews before then!)**_

 _ **Stay safe,**_

 _ **Sasuke**_

Rolling the pen between my hands like a cat, I play with the thought of writing a letter to Hotaru, but eventually decide against it. I have some things set aside for her in my will, genjutsu notes and the like, and the note I wrote to accompany them will suffice.

I pause, considering my rationale before penning the last letter I intend to write, not including the one I will send to Itachi. That will be written and sent separately, immediately before I set out. "Heh... Ino-chan will gloat. She was right; I am rather fond of Suna-chan."

 _ **Suna-chan,**_

 _ **Ha! I can practically see you scowling adorably at the paper.**_

 _ **Don't worry Temari-chan, this won't be a long missive.**_

 _ **In the short time we've known each other, I'd like to believe we became friends. You are a brilliant, beautiful young woman and a fantastic kunoichi. (I have to admit that a small part of me wishes we weren't friends. I'm greedy; despite the complications it would have caused, I hoped we could have become more. Considering— well, I suspect you felt the same.)**_

 _ **Kick ass, and good luck keeping your little brothers in line!**_

 _ **Farewell,**_

 _ **Uchiha Sasuke**_

Deftly folding the letters, I seal them, and label the envelopes with names. Index finger drawing an invisible line over the edge of the last envelope, I ponder where to store them safely.

A knock on my window rouses me from my thoughts. "Hn?"

Ino glares at me from beyond the windowpane, obviously irate. Shino, looking as stoic as ever, is hovering behind her. Rolling my eyes, I set the letter to Temari aside, and stride over to the window, unlocking it and sliding it open. "I have a door, you know."

"You weren't answering it," She deadpans, easing herself through the window and into my room, Shino right behind her.

"Invite yourself in, why don't you." I murmur in response to the intrusion, tone teasing. Given her scowl, Ino is not in the mood for teasing.

Hands on her hips, she leans forward— were Ino a little taller, we'd be nose-to-nose. Instead, since she's half a head shorter than I, the scene looks a little ridiculous. "So, Sasuke-kun. I heard you had an interesting argument with our esteemed Lady Hokage... Our names had better not be in that pile of letters on your desk."

I shrug, stepping away from Ino. "Hn." _Better to neither confirm nor deny._ Gathering up the letters, I stuff them into an innocuous wooden box— it has some particularly lovely carvings of the Uchiha crest, really— and slide said box between several books on a nearby shelf. "If you're going to yell at me, let's do this somewhere a bit more secure."

Although I can't sense anyone else in the vicinity, I cloak the three of us in a genjutsu before leading my friends to the Naka Shrine. "Please wait here a moment." I gesture to the stairs at the front of the shrine, and head inside.

Closing my eyes, I breathe out a sigh, taking a moment to gather my thoughts before unlocking the path to the hidden room in the bowels of the shrine. The massive stone door slides away with a grinding sound, revealing a familiar stairwell. _I could lock the door behind me, leave through a different exit... But that would be the coward's way out. Running away._ I backtrack to the entrance of the shrine, and gesture for them to enter.

While the door slides shut behind us, I reach for the nearest sconce, plucking the torch from its confines, and light it. Wordlessly, I turn and follow the stairs downward. Until I am back in that room, that place I consider a sanctuary, despite the foul deeds that were once planned there.

 _What better place to discuss treasonous ideas?_

After ensuring we have enough light for the foreseeable future, I settle down, cross-legged on a cushion. The room is bare but for the cushions I'd scattered on the floor, and the giant stone, engraved with words only legible to sharingan eyes, situated behind me.

Arm crossed loosely in front of my chest, I arch a brow at Ino and Shino, both having taken a seat close by—we're sitting in a circle. "I'm going. Root's not an officially recognized group, anyway. Not anymore." _There is nothing you can say that will change my mind._ "And technically, this is clan business." _You don't need to get involved._

Shino's unimpressed stare is a work of art. "Ha. Ha, even." I startle slightly at the uncharacteristic outburst, staring at my longtime friend.

Ino interjects, "If you think, we're going to let you run off on some half-baked, madcap suicide mission without so much as a word—" Ino takes a deep breath, clenching hands into fists and placing arms securely at her sides. "Damn it, Sasuke. Then you're dumber than Naruto looks."

Smiling faintly, I pointedly narrow my eyes at Ino, "That's my little brother you're talking about, Ino-chan. Look, I understand what you're saying. But helping me scout is one thing, I can't just ask you two to—" _to throw away your lives trying to kill a village elder and his private army. That sounds mad even in my head._

There is a loud buzz from Shino's coat; his allies are riled, more so than I've ever seen, and he is visibly upset. "You do not have to ask. Why? Because we are telling you. Whatever madness you've planned on this time, you are not going alone. Must I repeat myself incessantly? I thought you understood: where you go, we go."

And I am torn. _I don't want you to risk death for me. And while that's more than a little hypocritical, it's still the truth. But I need backup besides the salamanders._

Ino derails my train of thought, "You idiot. You— you jerk! Why would you even think of going alone? Of course Shino and I are going with you. How could you even consider leaving us behind?! No, absolutely not. Out of the question! We will be there to watch your back. Just like last time."

 _Whether I want it or not, huh?_

"Ino-chan, you—" A deep breath, trying to steady my tumultuous thoughts, "This, what I'm planning to do, is barely a hair's breadth away from treason. That I can legally argue otherwise is irrelevant. You should be trying to apprehend me!"

"Shut up, Sasuke! Don't you think we know that?!" Her yell echoes in the room. And then, more quietly, she murmurs, "I know that." Her voice wavers, eyes glimmering with unshed tears before she reigns herself back in, back ramrod straight. "But we're a team. And what kind of best friends would Shino and I be, to let you just walk to your death?"

Shino, arms crossing in front of his chest, quotes in a somber tone, "Those who break the rules are trash. Those who abandon their friends are worse than trash. Even if I will probably not agree with your methods; I understand the logic behind your decision. Besides, you need us."

 _You—_

 _I—_

 _I'm sorry._

Under their combined glares, I fold like a wet piece of tissue paper. "Together or not at all, huh?" For perhaps the first time, the smirk feels awkward on my face. There is a familiar stinging in the corners of my eyes. I glance away. _Thank you._ "Hn." _After you insisted on helping last time, I really should have known you two would do this._ "Very well. Then you should also know I'm planning to write to my brother." _So this venture could be called treasonous twice-over._

"What would writing to Naruto do?"

There is an awkward pause as Shino and I stare at her, expressions pointedly blank... and Ino blushes furiously, mortified. "Oh. That's... Right. I'm never going to live this down." The positively evil smirk I give her in response says it all. _About time we had something to hold over you._

Recovering, she claps her hands together, smile strained, but still enthusiastic. "Right. So! Let's get started. Given that request for leave on your desk, you planned on heading out tonight, right? Then we'd better make a workable plan quickly. What are we going to be doing?"

 _Okay, that's... interesting that neither of you want to comment further. If you want to ignore the obvious, I'll play along, I suppose. I trust you._

"We're going to tempt the spider out of his web."

Shino quicks a brow, skeptical, "...How? You're thinking of attacking his operations, right? If I were him, I would just send my forces to eliminate you."

"We will systematically destroy his bolt holes and incapacitate his shinobi, until he is forced to deal with the problem himself."

"You'll run a significant risk of killing those you are trying to rescue."

 _Don't you think I know that?_ Nails dig into the flesh of my palms, until tiny droplets of blood pepper the flagstone floor. _I may already have their blood on my hands. Danzou could just decide to remove anyone incriminating from his forces._

"I know. Better dead than— than the fate they will have if I walk away from this." A treacherous thought worms into my mind at that resolution. _How different are you from Itachi, then? Making a choice in their place. Hypocrite._ I grit my teeth and ignore it. _If I live, then I will do so with the consequences of my actions._

"You're going to conduct a guerrilla war. On a man that has controlled an offshoot of the ANBU for something like the last thirty years, if not longer." Ino covers her face with a groan, "Kami-sama, what are you thinking! What are we thinking?!"

"You saw the records we found, too. As far as we can deduce, the turnover rate for Root operatives is abysmal. Far worse than it is for ANBU." _And Shino and I are in ANBU._ "Doesn't that say something about their combat training? And we know where a significant number of their bunkers are already. So long as we're careful, we'll never have to face more than a handful of Danzou's minions at once."

Shino catches on to my reasoning quickly, "Your summons are poisonous, as are some of my kikkaichuu. We are both capable of detecting humans at a distance. Ino can sow havoc in their ranks, turning their own against them... It is still riskier than I would prefer, but better than a direct frontal assault."

"And they will know it's me. As you said, the rumors about my meeting with the Godaime are already all over the village. And I'll leave an appropriate calling card." Lips curling into a malevolent smile, more teeth than humor, "I'll burn everything to the ground."

Ino groans. "You're crazy. Absolutely and completely insane." Then, with a sad smile, she adds, "But you're ours, so I guess we'll just have to deal."

* * *

It's a short letter.

Shorter than any letter he's received from Sasuke since those first tentative motions towards reconciliation. And how crazy is that? That Sasuke not only discovered the deception he struggled to create and maintain, but had heart enough to forgive him? Sometimes, Itachi fears waking up to find that the past three years have been a fanciful dream.

This, on the other hand, is a nightmare.

He stares at the words, feeling incredulous, terrified and proud; only Sasuke can evoke so many feelings from him in rapid succession.

 _ **Help me take down Danzou.**_

He blinks, then narrows his eyes, squinting with the hope the words will change.

 _ **This should be proof enough.**_

 _ **Help me take down Danzou.**_

But his vision isn't that poor. His improved health, courtesy of Sasuke being a mother hen, has allowed him to minimize his use of the mangekyou.

The words don't change.

 _ **This should be proof enough.**_

 _ **Help me take down Danzou.**_

 _ **I don't care what happens to me afterwards, so long as this is resolved. Something like this; it's a reality I can't accept. I know I am asking a lot from you, but... Please, Itachi.**_

 _ **Please.**_

Itachi sets the letter aside, but the words are burned into his mind, echoing in his thoughts— _**I don't care what happens to me afterwards**_ _._

 _But I care._ Itachi thinks, understandably bitter. He has the right to be more than a little frustrated that Sasuke would throw away his future. Doesn't he?

Still, having examined the proof that Sasuke provided, duplicates of duplicates of documents that his brother retrieved at not insignificant risk... The documents he'd helped Sasuke retrieve, by providing information about Root. It is unlikely they are falsified; what would be the point? Sasuke would have been a useful tool for Danzou.

 _I understand._ Because Itachi's life has been one impossible decision after the other. Often, all of the possible outcomes of his decisions have been different degrees of terrible. _And yet, I don't want you to throw your life away, Sasuke._

The letter burns away to nothing in his hand. The stack of documents are likewise engulfed, courtesy of a **Goukakyuu no Jutsu**. And Itachi rises from his seat, resolved.

 _Regardless of what else happens— Sasuke will live. I will make sure of it._

And the clearing is empty of life. Only scattered ashes remain, stirred by a light breeze.

* * *

So, this chapter spun out of my control quickly...

Is Tsunade using Sasuke, like the Sandaime suspects? Is Sasuke going to set Danzou on fire and laugh since nobody will even piss on him to help put it out? Is the author completely loony?

(The answer to that last one is probably yes.)

Keep in mind that Sasuke is an unreliable narrator and marginally influenced by his spotty knowledge of canon. Also, he's not exactly the paragon of mental stability. (Surprising no one.)

Finally, I had a lot of difficulty formatting and uploading this chapter... so if shit is weird, blame FFnet. Fair warning. If things do get weird, I'll remove this chapter and try to repost as soon as possible.

* * *

* Lyrics from "Crazy = Genius" by Panic! At The Disco.


	6. Chapter 6 - Blitzkrieg

**Displaced**

 **Act I— A Complicated Truth.**

 _This way comes death—_

 _It claws at your heart and your brain,_

 _And it rattles your breath._

 _I stood out and looked at the city of vermin and flame,_

 _And knew that I'd never see this precious life again._

* * *

 _One more time, tell me this is madness._

 _(I already know.)_

 _Tell me I am going to die fighting for the impossible._

 _(I don't believe in fate._ )

 _See if I change my mind._

 _(Not even death will stop me.)_

* * *

I go through the list of supplies automatically, hands flitting over the items I've selected and secreted away on my person. Kunai, shuriken... _More than enough for what I plan to do._ Two spare tanto, sealed away in different pockets, the seal keyed to my chakra, in addition to my usual blade. The gift I'd received from Itachi over two years ago is secure in the scabbard slung low on my back. Enough explosive notes to level a village… maybe two. Depends on the village. _Check— thank you Naruto's overzealousness._ A scroll containing enough medical supplies to patch up two dozen critically injured shinobi with minimal chakra use. _Check._ A rebreather for when we release aerosolized poisons. I could do without it, but why waste energy? _Check_.

I've already decided against wearing the heavier armor that is part of my ANBU uniform, setting aside even my chuunin vest; understandable, as I prefer to depend on speed and precision over brute strength. As for the rest of my attire, it is reinforced, designed to be both durable and lightweight, as is standard for all ninja wear.

 _Outfitting oneself for war is surprisingly easy._

 _...Also, my thoughts are becoming increasingly more absurd. Attempting to distract yourself, Sasuke?_

Ino and Shino watch my obsessive preparations with quiet resignation, their eyes following me as I pace around my room. Everything that can be said on the topic already has been.

 _Yes, I'm being rash_ , I acknowledge internally. I refuse to let that stop me. _I have tried using more careful, more legal methods, and found myself rebuffed._ A spike of rage makes my hands pause while tucking senbon into my braid. _This is the only choice left, the only option open to me that I find palatable— raze Danzou's hideaways to the ground and cut down whoever opposes me, until the man deems it appropriate to face me himself._

 _I am— we are going to kill Shimura Danzou._

 _And_ _fuck_ _the consequences._

I'm ready.

Pivoting in place, I snag a hooded cloak from my bed, and toss it over my back, pinning it in place under my throat. I let my gaze scan over Ino and Shino one last time, before nodding resolutely. Both are dressed similarly, their usual attire hidden under cloaks a shade of murky gray.

"I'm going." _This is your last chance to back out._

A weak smile from Ino. "Yeah. Let's go... You know, we're lucky Shino is paranoid enough to keep track of your leave hours. Or this would have been hell of a lot more complicated to arrange." Shino rolls his eyes but maintains his silence.

* * *

We start by raiding Root bases located on the borders of Hi no Kuni, hoping to minimize the chances of a direct confrontation within Konoha proper, moving closer to the village in a spiral, a gradually tightening circle with our home at the center.

The further from Konoha we are when we confront Danzou, the greater the likelihood this little indiscretion remains a secret, if an open one to the shinobi of Konoha. That is, assuming we succeed. I'd rather our actions not become public knowledge if at all possible.

And if we fail?

Then to hell with it all; half of the people that matter—that I care about— will be dead, or as good as. And the salamanders will deliver every minuscule detail of the information I've managed to collect over the past decade— the truth of the Uchiha massacre, Danzou's machinations, his appropriation of clan children after the official termination of the Root program— and deliver copies to every clan head in Konoha, to every department head, will cover the walls of ANBU headquarters with the truth. It will even be delivered to the Damiyou's court.

It's terribly petty of me, I know. Even in death I will have a small measure of revenge.

 _If we live, there will be people that suspect the truth— Kakashi-sensei, the Godaime and Sandaime Hokage... but if we can purge the area of proof before ANBU arrive to investigate? Plausible deniability. Maybe crazy Team 7 just got a little overzealous training outside of the village. The Uchiha has been on a hair trigger for weeks, didn't you hear?_

 _Better for everyone that way._

And yet, the thought of so much death, of killing people that are little more than puppets dancing to that man's tune, leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

 _How different from Itachi am I, really?_

The first few attacks... The result of our strategy is less a battle and more an outright slaughter, and Root are slow to adapt.

Our familiarity with the layout of Danzou's smaller bases makes locating hidden entrances and exits a relatively straightforward task. Most have fuuinjutsu-based locks on the doors, created by the same individual, perhaps even Danzou himself. That means a similar chakra signature. A chakra signature that Shino's kikkaichu can hone in on. Even the air vents— a necessity, as all the bases we have found so far are located underground— are protected with seals.

But we don't need to get in; fighting someone on even grounds, or on a battleground they are more familiar with is phenomenally stupid. We just need to limit their escape routes, funneling our opponents straight into a trap.

We monitor for guards, determine shift changes, and repurpose the traps originally intended to waylay intruders, before adding our own traps around the exits— explosive notes, genjutsu, razor-sharp wire— all lethal. Other exits, we rig landslides or block with boulders. There is no escape.

Sometimes, after Shino's allies report on numbers, I use the vents to fill their air with lethal poison. Sometimes, Ino steals a Root member's body— it is far easier to mimic an emotionless drone than a normal civilian or shinobi— and poisons their food supply or even kills everyone in their sleep. No killing intent, no abnormal sounds, no impetus to wake from a deep slumber... and then they never wake again.

Afterwards, we reduce each base to little more than rubble. Through flames, through explosives, or through an all-consuming swamp created by Shino. All that we leave behind is a sample of **Amaterasu** ; a fist-sized ball of black flames left burning for seven days and seven nights at the center of every ruined bunker.

Danzou will understand the message.

Three days in to my self-appointed task, we come across a compound that has already been razed to the ground, but not by us. The flicker of flames, black as night, left at the center of a large crater reveals the identity of out ally.

 _Itachi-nii... You decided to help after all._

Releasing a slow, contented smile, I murmur, "Interesting." Shino coughs softly, and pointedly glances to the side. His meaning is clear. _We need to get going._ Ino slings an arm around my torso and grins wickedly, saying in an unnerving sing-song tone, "Looks like we have backup!"

We turn and hastily depart; there is no knowing if Danzou's operatives have found that this particular hideaway is ruined yet. No need to dally at the scene of the crime, so to speak.

And so, the slaughter continues. Regardless of the ruthless efficiency of Root operatives— we have at least as much talent, and a far more compelling reason to fight. Skill, trickery and will, so far, have triumphed over numbers. A week into our campaign, we face more formidable opponents; a pair of Root ANBU survive our initial attempts on the latest base.

* * *

Shaded goggles meet sunglasses as the two Aburame observe each other from across the impromptu battlefield. This is far from the first time he fights another Aburame. It is the first time he knows from the beginning that the battle will likely end in death.

No.

A death is inevitable here; neither can afford to lose.

Kikaichuu scurry from his opponent's sleeves, a small, humming cloud gathering around him.

 _I am sorry, Shino._ He admits, before ruthlessly suppressing the emotion that rushes in at the thought that the boy he loved like a brother will die by his hand. Less than a second of hesitation. _For Danzou-sama and for Konoha._ Torune draws the ninjato from the sheath slung on his back.

His blade nicks the edge of Shino's sleeve before it is met with a kunai.

His opponent's eyes narrow, the change in expression barely discernible behind sunglasses and the tall collar of his coat. "Rinkaichuu." Shino backtracks, discarding the kunai almost immediately, likely having noticed the light purple sheen to Torune's ninjato. Unfortunately, even the few seconds of close contact that occurred is enough for the insects to spread to the younger Aburame's clothes. He sheds his bulky cloak with haste, before the flightless, flea-like insects have time to spread to his skin. "An interesting conundrum."

 _As sharp as always._

"Very good." Torune intones emotionlessly, "Then you know fighting me is futile."

"How insulting." Shino retorts, but does not elaborate.

 _Pride?_ Torune wonders. He'd kept an eye on his younger cousin's progress as much as possible but has, at best, a rudimentary knowledge of his skills. His work for Danzou-sama comes first. "If that is the case, I will not insult you by holding back, Aburame Shino." Ninjato gripped in one hand, he divests the other of its glove using his teeth, before switching the blade to his other hand and shedding the other glove.

"Shall we?"

A Doton jutsu cracks the dry earth beneath his feet, and Torune leaps forward. Shino backtracks, tossing a quartet of kunai that Torune deflects with ease, glancing them off his ninjato.

The ground rebels again, this time lurching upwards to form shark spikes, as Shino uses **Doton: Ganchuusou**.

A quick backflip has Torune out of range of the jutsu.

 _It would be wiser for you to retreat and regroup with your teammates instead of wasting chakra._

Another flurry of kunai—he dodges these entirely, the corners of his lips twitching downwards. _Again? Or, perhaps… herding me?_

Knees bending slightly as he braces to begin another rush, he feels the trap as it is sprung. Loops of razor-sharp ninja wire dig into both ankles.

 _Shino, you—_

The meaty thunk of kunai embedding into flesh.

"Checkmate."

 _I severely underestimated you, Shino-kun._

A sharp pain on the left side of his chest and in his thigh. _Collapsed lung, internal bleeding,_ he analyzes, _and a penetrating injury that likely severed the left femoral artery_. _There is no point in attempting to stem the bleeding; I will die within minutes regardless._

"Kikaichuu may not be as inherently lethal as rinkaichuu," Shino intones solemnly, "but they are more versatile... I am more than the sum of my allies."

"I see." _Kunai to distribute the wire, kikaichuu_ _to weave the trap into place, and_ _Doton jutsu to draw my attention._

Harsh coughs derail his thoughts, forcing Torune to his knees. _Forgive me, Danzou-sama. Despite your teachings, I was distracted. I couldn't—_ As the older Aburame struggles for breath, he turns his head towards Shino, "If I had to lose, I am glad it was to you, Shino-kun. I am... happy to see you again." A final breath rattles through the Root shinobi's chest and out his bloodied lips, and he falls still.

"Torune." The name is less a whisper and more a sigh. Shino had known, of course. Rinkaichuu users are incredibly rare, and there had been only one in his generation. He knew Torune had volunteered to enter a section of Konoha's forces that dealt almost exclusively in off-the-books missions, but...

He watches the rinkaichuu swarm around their fallen host, attempting to maintain a stoic expression even as his hands clench into fists. Kaikaichu hum in distress, responding to Shino's emotional state.

"Rest well, cousin." Shino intones, hands flowing through the signs of a Katon jutsu designed specifically for this purpose. While he would prefer to keep Torune's body intact, bring him home to the Aburame collective— they cannot risk a colony of kikaichuu emerging in the wild, let alone rinkaichuu. The likelihood of the insects surviving their host's death is minuscule, but it exists.

* * *

She glances to the side— the sharingan is already spinning in Sasuke-kun's eyes. Given the shinobi's light coloration and features, it is possible their opponent is a Yamanaka, like her. Although— red-tinted hair is rare in their family, so perhaps half? She pauses, taking a second to let the dormant link between her mind and Sasuke's, established through extended and repeated Yamanaka family jutsu use on her teammate, flare to life.

 _Sasuke-kun._

 _Hn?_

 _I will keep this link open; if he is a Yamanaka, he is more likely to attack_ _your_ _mind first._

 _Then he shall find that we are more than capable of fighting on such a battlefield. Taking the lead?_

She smiles then, a cold, calculating thing at odds with her appearance, designed to unsettle her opponent. "Oh? Our new friend looks interesting, don't you think so, Sasuke-kun? ...Let's play a little, hm?"

Sasuke remains silent, barring a quiet chuckle under his breath, likely at her acting, choosing instead to loom a half-step behind her, directing waves of sharp, malicious killing intent at their opponent.

The enemy chooses to attack both their minds at once, attempting to subvert their free will. Ino, while startled at the level of skill, retaliates by yanking his consciousness into their shared mindscape, leaving all three ninja with limited awareness of their surroundings. A dangerous prospect, were it not for several of Shino's kikkaichu present on their persons— the insects have been trained to signal an alert by fluctuating their chakra and then bite if they sensed killing intent from an unfamiliar source while Ino or Sasuke were asleep, or incapacitated.

The sensation caused by shifting from consciousness to the dream-like state needed for mind-walking is a jarring, but familiar one. Both she and the intruder recover immediately.

The landscape is a bizarre amalgamation of different versions of Konoha. An unfamiliar warren of a building with stone walls, carved with the familiar leaf-like sigil, blends seamlessly into her favorite field of wildflowers, which backs into the Uchiha compound, razed to the ground barring a few select buildings— likely Sasuke's contribution.

Ino ponders the strangeness of a taijutsu battle held in a mindscape, where rules are more... flexible.

Sasuke attacks from the left, but is redirected by their opponent, and lands, upside down, on the roof of a stone hallway... or is it tunnel?

Their opponent's strikes come quickly— but never as swiftly as Anko-sensei's serpents.

Grass clings to the unknown Yamanaka's feet when they wander into her subsection of the mindscape, an attempt to hinder his mobility that ultimately fails.

She finds that the enemy learns from her attempts, each time she manipulates their shared mental battleground, he adapts, learning her tricks.

Regardless, the battle of attrition eventually ends in her favor; Ino's skill with mind-based jutsu, combined with Sasuke's knack for genjutsu, eventually overpower their enemy.

A deep breath, synchronized, from the pair of younger shinobi as they regain consciousness.

The shell of the unknown Yamanaka falls to the ground silently, eyes empty of all life.

* * *

While our actions eventually draw Danzou out, it's not as far from the village as I would like. _There are several other opponents, so... Shino, Ino. Please let me handle this one._ Thankfully, we're on the same wavelength, so to speak. Shino and Ino exchange a look and split off, intent on leading Danzou's subordinates away.

We meet at the infamous Valley of the End, where Uchiha Madara was defeated for perhaps the final time by his oldest friend and adversary. A battle that shaped the very landscape.

 _How poetic. But you are no Senju hero, Shimura Danzou. And I am not nearly arrogant enough to call myself the second coming of Uchiha Madara._

I bare my teeth in parody of a smile, "Danzou-sama." _I see you received my message._ Voice dropping into the lowest register, little more than a rumbling growl, I speak, my tone malevolent and sarcastic in equal measure. "A pleasure as always. I hope I haven't made myself an inconvenience? You see, I merely wish to retrieve something that rightfully belongs to the Uchiha."

 _Forgive me, Itachi. I cannot wait any longer._

I watch Danzou's uncovered eye for a hint of emotion. The old man is disgruntled, but also amused— or perhaps he merely feigns both. "Hmft. So the so-called 'Last Uchiha' is a traitor. And dragging your genin teammates down with you as well? You left a rather obvious trail."

Eyes narrowing in distaste, even as I don an arrogant smirk tailored to infuriate my opponent, or at the very least show him exactly what he expects, "It served its purpose." _You followed us here, that rather_ _was_ _the point._

 _Enough pleasantries,_ I think as I make the first move, pupil splitting apart into rapidly spinning tomoe as my eyes change to display an active sharingan.

 _Everything else, you'll just have to deduce from my actions._

My smirk widens, as thin tendrils of chakra weave into a genjutsu, one designed to confuse and disorient my opponent.

Danzou pauses. His world swims with colors, bizarre shapes, repulsive smells— a nauseating combination meant to be a temporary distraction. An obvious illusion. Within the span of a breath, he has dispelled it.

Those few seconds are long enough for me to draw my sword and come perilously close to bisecting the loathsome old man.

Danzou dodges at the last moment, the tip of my blade splitting the sleeve of his light grey kimono-style top, drawing blood from his left arm.

 _First blood to me._

Balance shifting, my next attack is a series of lightning-quick stabs, parried by the elder shinobi's cane. _Metal at its center._ I analyze, then decide— _faster._ Lightning chakra courses through my nervous system. I move quickly enough to leave an afterimage, which my opponent disperses with a blade of wind, released when he lashes out with his cane.

Heat simmers in my blood and the smirk transforms into a manic smile. _Now_ _this_ _is a fight!_

Black eye meets the red of my sharingan, and Danzou is swarmed by spiders. Hairy, brown spiders the size of sheep. The venom dripping from their mandibles, scoring the ground with a sinister hiss.

This time, I nearly manage to remove the elder's head before he dispels the genjutsu. A thin, red line appears on his neck, blood beading on skin.

He retreats several feet away, his free arm stripping away the black cloth that mimics a sling covering his 'maimed' arm. I pursue, lightning coursing down my sword— _how about this?_ — only to be blocked again with the cane. _Barely._ Danzou is forced back a step, sacrificing balance to block my strike more quickly. The wood covering the metal center of his staff is sufficient buffer to prevent a transfer of electricity, but it shatters under the pressure. _Ah. Some form of insulation in the cane, as well._

A solid kick to my stomach pushes me back several feet, divesting me of breath. _Bastard kicks like a mule!_

"Impressive. It seems I will need to use this arm after all." Danzou eases off the dark cloth covering his lame arm and strips away a series of metal braces, revealing it to be bandaged but otherwise unharmed. _Shit! I wasn't fast enough._

Bandages are unrolled swiftly, revealing unnaturally pale flesh, almost parchment-white, peppered with false eye sockets containing sharingan eyes. _So many eyes..._ Said eyes twitch in their human-made sockets, their movements aimless. I repress a shudder in visceral, instinctive horror, struggling to keep the unsettlingly predatory smile on my face. _Shouldn't there be a massive chakra drain? Kakashi-sensei's eye continuously drains his chakra when active._

"...A thief and an abomination. And you call me a traitor?" Disgust laces my voice. _I will end your unsightly existence._ Sword slides with a resolute 'shhhick' back into its sheath. _Alright,_ _let's try something else._

I redirect the fist rapidly approaching my face to the side, retaliating with a stab of my hand, green chakra scalpel penetrating into Danzou's chest, straight through his heart. The man melts away as if he were a mirage, the presence of a genjutsu tickling my senses. Once again, the **Eyes of the Rajuu** proves its worth, as I can sense the man's heartbeat— _behind me!_

I pivot rapidly, crouching to duck under the flurry of kunai released by Danzou, their edges visibly enhanced with wind chakra, using the time to flip though several handseals and take a deep breath. Rising, I spit a **Gokakyu no Jutsu** the size of a barn, so hot that the fireball flickers white at its core, back in his direction. Again, I rapidly close the distance between us, staying within the shadow of the fireball, ducking to the side when it is cut in two by a vacuum blade.

 _Ha? So using normal fire against you is asking for trouble._ Sharingan spinning furiously, I redirect more chakra to my eyes. The tomoe merge into a five-spoke spiral, crimson pattern on a black background. The burst of black flames successfully catches Danzou off guard, and again, he melts into nonexistence.

 _How many second chances remain, how many eyes?_

This time, my manic façade doesn't crack. "Hn?" In fact, my smile only widens at the challenge. _No matter. Even if I have to kill him a hundred times, I'll find a way to send him to the afterlife._

A volley of bullets made of wind drives me back until I land, standing on the wide river that bisects the valley proper, massive statues of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama to my left. _Could limit my ability to safely use lightning jutsu..._ Likely, that is exactly Danzou's intent. However, my most effective jutsu with that element are internal, not external. I add more lightning chakra to my technique, and practically soar off the water when I advance towards the shore.

In the meantime, Danzou has summoned some sort of long-nosed chimera-like beast. It opens its mouth to breathe in—the suction is impressive, but I retreat to what appears to be outside of its range, dancing out of the way of the blades of wind that Danzou sends in my direction. They are sharper and move faster than I expect— one nicks my right side, immediately under the ribs, a second shears off the end of my braid.

A few senbon scatter behind me, tinkling as they hit the ground, as my hair begins to unwind. A soft hiss of pain escapes from between clenched teeth, but my smile remains. _A point to you, old man._

The next time the beast breathes in, I reply with a torrent of nightmarish black flames. The blaze is strengthened by the suction, and the beast disappears in a puff of grey smoke, hopefully too injured to continue. Danzou protects himself from the remaining stream of fire with a gesture of his alien-looking right hand, an interlocking shield composed of wood appearing in front of him.

 _What_ _?! I thought that was just a rumor!_ Eyes widened in shock, I vault myself into the air to avoid the strangling roots that grasp at my feet, instead using them as a means to advance towards my opponent. Lightning-natured chakra crackles in my hand, the air pierced by the sound of a thousand screaming birds— " **Chidori**!" I slice through the wooden barrier, but ultimately fail to catch him with the jutsu. _Another escape? Well, if nothing else, using Mokuton techniques and the sharingan in concert is making him_ _hemorrhage_ _chakra.  
_

 _...I hope._

The wound on my side bleeds sluggishly; I pay it no attention. Letting the lightning fade from my hand, I tilt my head slightly, bangs giving my face a sinister cast. _Two—no, look closer, three eyes down. Hn, and I bet—_ my musings are interrupted by a trickle of blood, from the corner of my right eye. I blink— a burning ache follows the motion of my eyelid.

 _Another eight to ten minutes of continuous use, my eyes will become more sensitive to light, becoming as much a hindrance as a boon._ I have only pushed that far in training the mangekyou once, and it resulted in a noticeable decline in vision. And a mild case of chakra exhaustion.

 _I'll just have to work quickly, then._

Green chakra covers my hands once again, this time for a slightly different purpose. Advancing, I drag the elder shinobi into a taijutsu match. A swift kick towards Danzou's gut, to repay him the one I'd received earlier. A hand catches my ankle in a tight grip, tossing me aside. I twist, my hands slap the earth, and I backflip to land upright, facing my enemy, and leap again to avoid grasping, tentacle-like roots. _This is becoming repetitive._

Another charge— this time my target is a little less obvious. I strike at the edge of his face, slicing through the bandages and just barely nicking the skin at his temple, subtly changing the equilibrium of proteins in his blood— his wounds will refuse to clot, and bleeding will persist, as surely as they would for a hemophiliac. _Death by a thousand cuts; how will you avoid_ _that_ _with your forbidden genjutsu? It only heals a an immediately lethal strike, right?_ The cut away bandages reveal a mangekyou sharingan.

I meet his mismatched eyes without fear. _Confirmed, then. I have three targets; that eye, that arm, and your life, old man._

Said old man smiles, wrinkles pooling around his eyes and mouth. It is not a kind smile. "I wonder what your brother will think of you throwing away the life he so desperately bargained for... Oh, but you didn't know about that? Or did you? That Itachi killed them all for your sake. I suppose I could have one of my men ask, after delivering your eyeless corpse to him."

A dragon of fire interrupts Danzou's efforts to shock me into a mistake. Notably, it does not come from my direction— nor does the impassive "Honorable Elder," intoned as he dodges.

A feral smile may be fixed on my face, but the mangekyou spins rapidly in my eyes, betraying my rage. _To speak of that night so casually... you really are a most loathsome person, Shimura Danzou._

Itachi and I move as one— but the elder blocks both his blade and my hands with spike-like roots.

The tide has turned, however. Danzou shifts his focus to defense as the battle becomes less a dance of give-and-take and more of a fight for survival for our opponent. Still, Danzou is decades older than both of us combined, and fighting a shinobi with that level of experience is dangerous. Even if his chakra levels must be plummeting. Even if his wounds do not heal, continuing to bleed.

Itachi takes a nasty kick to the chest, even as I use Danzou's momentary distraction to weave yet another illusion—a discreet one, this time, to slow his reflexes, altering his perception of time.

"How long do you think you can flee from the Shinigami?"

Itachi stands on Danzou's left, and I to his right. Turning to face one Uchiha would put the other at his back. _Poor odds for any enemy, no matter how wily._

Bloody tears sliding down my cheeks, teeth bare in a savage grin, hair loose around my head, falling in uneven spikes halfway down my back— Danzou falters, a flicker of fear in his eyes. _What does he see, I wonder?_

And finally— a second is long enough.

Hand moving with impossible swiftness, I pluck the sharingan from Danzou's head— exactly what he must have done to its former owner, so long ago. Itachi plunges his tanto through our opponent's heart. I follow up with a strike with an iryojutsu that liquefies the honorable elder's brain right in his skull.

There is no disappearing, no genjutsu this time.

"...Not very long at all," I muse. Shimura Danzou lies before me, staring blankly at the sky in death. No breathing. No heartbeat. And yes, then I set his corpse on fire.

Satisfied that my— that our opponent is finished, this time permanently, I finally release my grip on the mangekyou. Staggering in exhaustion, I lean against a boulder, part of the landscape upturned by our battle. _Shit. I definitely overdid it. Perhaps I should have practiced more... but that would have meant a further decline in vision._ _We're going to have to arrange the transfer sooner rather than later, at this rate._

A mild burning; the sensation travels from my hands, up my arms, and towards my chest. The areas where I stretched the channels that chakra travels through a little too far. Taking a sharp breath, I have to grit my teeth against the sudden pain— bruised ribs. Plus the cut to my side. Likely some internal damage as well. _Bastard got a few lucky shots._

 _Steady._

 _Focus on your breathing._

There is one more task to complete before I can collapse, leaving my fate to whatever scavengers this fight attracted. _Or perhaps Shino and Ino are still intact enough to drag me out of here and back to Konoha._ I can sense their heartbeats, strong, steady, at the edge of my range. Itachi's beats a soothing rhythm nearby. _He didn't take much damage, but..._

Hands flow through the familiar hand signs, and I slide down, leaving a small streak of blood against the boulder as I fall into a sitting position, palms slapping against the earth with intent. " **Kuchiyose no Jutsu**." The act pushes me to the very edge of chakra exhaustion— a sharp burn of protest in my chakra pathways even as the customary waft of smoke appears. My vision begins to swim. A grey salamander steps into view, stooped back and wrinkles belying its advanced age. _Success!_

"Maya-sama," I rasp, "I need a favor."

The salamander blinks, eyes widening, even as she reaches towards me, hands glowing a light green. "Kami-sama, Sasuke-gaki, what did you do to yourself?! You know better than to use such a chakra-intensive technique in that kind of state!"

I wave her away, stumbling over my words, speech slurring as I rapidly begin to descend into unconsciousness, "Wait, don't— Not me. Didn'— didn't call you for me. M'brother. Look him over and get him to leave?" _Neither of us can afford to be found here, together._ And someone trustworthy needs to check him over for injuries, Danzou might have cracked a rib with that kick, and the last thing Itachi needs is more lung damage or another opportunistic infection. "Also." I fumble for a second, trying to remember where the item in question was, and open my left hand, revealing the eye I'd snatched from Danzou before his end. "Also this."

"...Alright, Sasuke-kun. I'll take care of your mess, this once." She sighs, but nods her assent, and retrieving the sharingan eye, steps away from me. "But you do realize, boy, that you're going to need a medic right quick."

Corner of my mouth quirking up, even as my eyes close, I mumble, "Hn. Y'know. Practic'lly immort'l. Be fine." And the darkness swallows up my consciousness, leaving me in a peaceful void.

* * *

I've managed to scar Shino for life, give Ino and Sasuke a migraine of epic proportions, and finally make Sasuske collapse from exhaustion, all in one chapter! (This aggravating beast of a chapter took me nearly half a year to finish because of writer's block. Argh!)

I just have one more thing to say: Mwahahahahahaha!

Also, to try and stave off some of the arguments: remember that this Sasuke has a drastically different skillset than canon!Sasuke and doesn't have the benefit of an eternal mangekyou. Danzou is both a wily and powerful opponent, on the same level as the Sandaime... and that's without the 'magic immortality eyes' trick or the 'hey look the trees are attacking you' trick. (Obnoxious asshole.) Could this Sasuke have pulled off a victory on his own? Sure. Probably. But he might have nearly blinded himself and taken significantly heavier physical damage if he tried.

...Also the idea of Itachi and Sasuke setting Danzou's corpse on fire together made me happy.

* * *

*Lyrics quoted at the top of the chapter are from "Bless You" by The Stranglers.


	7. Chapter 7 - Spiraling Sideways

**Displaced**

 **Act I— A Complicated Truth.**

 _Nothing's left, nothing's to lose,_

 _That's the life I had to choose._

* * *

 _What I did— I hope it was enough._

 _(Please don't make me beg.)_

 _Did I go far enough?_

* * *

Calloused hands smooth the white sheet covering the figure that remains motionless but for the rise and fall of his chest, tucking the edge under her patient's chin. It is always easier to heal those with medical training; their chakra is already attuned to it, in a way. Used to following the pathways she needs them to, knitting bones back together, bruised and broken flesh being cleared of contaminants and helped to rejuvenate at a faster rate.

She didn't have to be the one to repair the Uchiha's wounds, but she'd insisted on taking on that task nevertheless, made her excuses— _better than paperwork_ — and since there is always a team or two of ANBU shadowing her, there is no need for additional security for the room.

 _I don't know if I'm more impressed at this brat's sheer audacity or pissed off for him being perilously close to going rogue... and by all accounts, likely dragging his closest friends along with him. And, like Sarutobi-sensei said: where the Uchiha goes, it's a sucker bet that Naruto will follow._

 _Kami knows what Hatake would do in such a situation._

 _Nuttier than a tree full of squirrels, the lot of them._

 _What a political nightmare._

 _No—screw being tactful. What a complete and utter_ _shitstorm_ _this brat dug up and spread around. The clans are up in arms, and the civilians, if they knew what_ _really_ _happened, would be rioting in the streets. I can only imagine what the Daimyo is going to say when news of this arrives on his desk._

 _Who am I kidding? Doubtless, he knows already._

Mixed feelings would be a good description of her mood at the moment. She massages her temples as she fumes and resists the urge to throttle her patient. Or throw something at him. That would be counterproductive, considering the amount of time she'd spent putting him back together.

 _Well. I_ _did_ _choose to use him as a distraction for our own campaign against Danzou... and admittedly he would have been something of a scapegoat if things went completely tits up. We've managed to salvage quite a few operatives to be reincorporated into the village forces already. After extensive deprogramming, anyway._

 _Still, I could have done without this mess going semi-public._

 _Even if I took advantage of a shit situation to clean up Sarutobi-sensei's mess... Possibly Great-uncle's mess; Danzou was one of his protégé._

Scowling, she releases the iryo-genjutsu hybrid keeping her patient unconscious. Using powerful sedatives is a dangerous idea with shinobi; not only do they have radically different metabolisms, especially those with kekkei-genkai, but drugging an assassin half out of his mind often leads to an excess of violence.

Genjutsu are little better, especially on those that are practitioners of that art. Although, considering the Uchiha is drugged with both muscle relaxants and painkillers, and simultaneously recovering from a severe case of chakra exhaustion, he is unlikely to be much of a threat for the next week or three. He'll essentially be completely bedridden for the next three days, and barely capable of using enough charka to tree climb for the week afterward. Probably.

"Goddamn brat. Nothing but trouble." She reiterates, and settles in for a wait, signaling for her paperwork to be delivered to her here. She wants to be present when the Uchiha wakes up.

Forty-seven minutes later, there is an infinitesimal hitch in the Uchiha's breathing. Were she not listening for this specifically, the change would likely have gone unnoticed. She gives him a moment to recognize his inability to move and start to panic before speaking up.

"Uchiha Sasuke. You may as well open your eyes. I know you're awake." Tone frigid, she glares at the figure prone in the hospital bed.

His eyelids flicker open, revealing dark eyes, and then squeeze shut almost immediately, his face wrinkling in a pained grimace. "Hn." She watches, almost gleeful at his discomfort. Almost, because Senju Tsunade is not quite that petty. And, alright, because she might have set him up and taken advantage of his little crusade, too.

Voice dripping with sarcasm, she begins her much-awaited diatribe. "Yes, yes. Welcome back to consciousness and to Konoha's Hospital. Congratulations! Despite your best efforts, you're still alive— for now. Good for you." Voice rising, the rant continues to spill from her lips, "Yes, indeed... Allow me to thank you for landing this stupidly complicated mess on my desk."

 _Fine, so I'm being a little unfair._

Dark eyes open again, Sasuke's gaze wandering in her direction. She leans forward in anticipation, expression akin to a shark scenting blood. "Are you listening closely, Uchiha?" _You unrepentant bastard._ "I should have you court-martialed and executed for this stunt. You can't just run off and murder members of this village as you wish!"

"Listening... Was defending myself. He deserved it." _Oh, so now you are judge, jury, and executioner?!_ Though Tsunade does admit, in a very quiet corner of her mind, that she agrees—Danzou did deserve to die, probably several times over. "Whether he deserved it or not is immaterial; it wasn't your call."

After a second's pause, the Uchiha takes a shaky breath and asks, "...the children?"

At that question, the hospital room loses a wall to her temper. The ANBU scramble for cover, but the impudent Uchiha brat barely startles. Peripherally, she's aware of the fact he's incapable of moving much right now.

"Some more detailed files were 'mysteriously' delivered to me. And every clan head in the village." _The fact that I sent them out myself is immaterial._ He watches patiently, waiting for her to continue. Expression resigned— tired. "We found your little cousins. They're fine."

"And the rest of the children?"

 _If you weren't such a bleeding heart, it would be easier to stay mad at you._ "The younger children, the ones that were still in training, have all been retrieved safely. They're fine. As far as we've been able to determine, between you and your allies, you eliminated about a fourth of Danzou's active forces."

She wants so very badly to slap the smile off the Uchiha's face. If only she could call it a self-satisfied smirk... but even she can see his genuine relief. "If that is the case, I am content," the young man rasps, and closes his eyes. "Do what you must."

She leaves a team of ANBU watching over the Uchiha scion. That they're his teammates is immaterial. Just luck, really. She'll yell at him with a touch more enthusiasm later, after she's had time to forget how much of a decent human being the young man is.

 _Damn brat._

In her mind, she can almost see Sensei, eyes narrowed half-lidded in amusement, a knowing smile on his lips. _You have to admit, Tsunade-chan..._ She scowls, grumbling under her breath as she stomps away from Uchiha Sasuke's hospital room. "Fine. He was right; it was what I would have done as well, especially at his age. But that doesn't mean there won't be repercussions!"

* * *

My sense of smell returns first, breath hitching lightly at the familiar aroma of bleach and antiseptic. _The hospital, then. If I'm assuming the people that retrieved me were Konoha shinobi. I can certainly think of several less pleasant alternatives... Orochimaru, for example. Root loyalists, for another._ Then, touch— my limbs are heavy, but I can't feel any restraints, just the usual hospital smock, and a light blanket or sheet covering everything below my chin.

I could do without the return of the sensation of pain. Everything aches, but thankfully, I don't feel any sharp pains. _Painkillers, given the lethargy and disorganized, sluggish mess that is my thoughts._ _How long have I been unconscious? I succeeded— didn't I? Danzou is dead. What of Root?_

A twitch of the fingers on my right hand— _definitely not restrained. Not that I can move much right now_ , _let alone fight my way out of here if need be,_ I acknowledge with an internal scowl.

"Uchiha Sasuke. You may as well open your eyes. I know you're awake." If I could have jumped at the sound of the Hokage's voice, I would have. I realize, absently, that my currently negligible chakra reserves mean my ability to sense others in the room is severely compromised.

Sheer force of will drives me to pry my eyelids open. Biting back a groan, I squeeze them shut almost immediately. "Hn." Not only is the light painfully bright, causing my head to throb in agony, but my vision seems to be compromised. That brief glimpse of the room— reality swam in and out of focus. _Hoping that's temporary._

"—stupidly complicated mess on my desk."

 _I should probably be paying attention._ Easing my eyes open more slowly this time, I try to stare intently at the incensed blonde. The nauseating effect is a little better this time, although there is a slight fuzziness to my vision. _Blurred vision, perhaps a little like glaucoma? Could it be— increased chakra input into the eyes, also increases pressure on the optic nerve? Maybe... but if this is permanent, the degeneration is too rapid for something like that._

"— have you court-martialed and executed for this stunt! You—"

 _Yeah, I should definitely be paying attention._

Breathing too deeply is painful; even my throat is sore— overuse of Katon jutsu. _Is she waiting for me to say something?_ I stifle a cough, and rasp out a reply, "Listening." _I don't feel any guilt about Danzou's death._ "Was defending myself. He deserved it." _His operatives— more blood on my hands. They were innocents, from one perspective, but also my enemies. I can, I_ _will_ _live with my decision to kill them, but..._

"Whether he deserved it or not is immaterial! It wasn't your call!"

 _What of the children? Did you find them? Did we— did I succeed?_ A shaky breath rattles through my chest; I open my mouth to ask the question that will either validate my actions or damn me. "...the children?"

There is a resounding crash as the Senju's fist meets the wall. Luckily, no poor sod is behind it, just a storage closet, full of clean sheets and blankets that tumble into the room, forming a lopsided pile speckled with wood shards. I flinch away from her glare; a brief moment of weakness.

The Hokage gives another non-answer, something about the information I'd given her? There shouldn't have been any filed delivered to others, not due to my machinations anyway, as I'm neither dead nor trapped deep in the bowels of our T&I department. And I'm not so out of it that I don't notice some of her anger is feigned. Something to think on later. Hands curling into fists, I resist the urge to glare, to yell, to force her to talk faster. _Be patient, Sasuke._ I almost hold my breath.

"We found your little cousins. They're fine."

A wave of relief washes over me, tenseness draining out of my body. _I didn't kill them after all._ But there is one last, nagging thought— _what of the others?_ The other Root trainees should be safe as well, but I have to ask. To be certain. "And the rest of the children?"

I can't keep the relieved smile off my face, at the news. _Against all odds. We won. They're all safe._ "If that is the case, I am content," _No; that's not it. I am_ _happy_ _._ I let my eyes slide shut, suddenly exhausted. _Hokage-sama, from this point forth,_ "...do what you must." _And I will do the same._

I slide back into unconsciousness— this time, a healing sleep.

* * *

She frets, twirling a kunai around her finger, a far better a habit for an up-and-coming interrogator than fussing with her short blond hair. It is Anko-sensei's fault entirely.

Sasuke is pale and unusually still beneath the plain hospital sheets. To her eyes, he looks an inch from death. She knows, logically, this is because of the combination of blood loss and chakra exhaustion. She even knows that he'll make a full recovery, and yet—"Ne, Shino-kun."

"Aa?"

"...Is it really a win if Sasuke-kun ends up in the hospital again? Aren't the hero-types supposed to walk away uninjured?"

A softer hum than aggravation— amusement, then. Shino allows his sunglasses to slide down his nose, granting Ino a brief glimpse of the emotions in his eyes before pushing them back into place. "It's a victory. Why? Sasuke is alive." _Everyone lived, not including our opponents._ "He caused enough havoc to avoid execution. It's likely he will not even be imprisoned or even demoted. All our information so far indicates that he will receive, at most, a slap on the wrist. And he achieved all of his self-imposed mission objectives. He is probably... happy."

"Yeah. I think so too." She answers with a smile, sliding the kunai back into the holster on her thigh.

"You think too loudly, Ino-chan," grumbles the figure confined to the hospital bed, eyes glinting with dark humor. Sasuke is no longer asleep, and vaguely annoyed at the fact. "And I'm not the heroic type at all; that's Naruto's shtick... I'm definitely a villain. Or at least an antihero. This isn't a story, anyway."

"Sasuke-kun! You're awake!"

The Uchiha replies, tone dry, "I noticed. I wonder why? Perhaps could be because someone was talking. Loudly. In my room, while I'm recuperating, trying hard not to think of what sort of hell Tsunade-sama will unleash as her revenge. I wonder who it was that woke me up."

"See? You worry for nothing. Obviously, Sasuke is fine." The corner of Shino's mouth tilts upward, almost a smirk.

Smile brightening, the kunoichi lunges at Sasuke, wrapping him in a tight hug, much to the young man's chagrin.

"Ino... Still. Injured." The Uchiha grinds out from between clenched teeth.

 _Itachi is fine. Your summons checked him over and then convinced him to disappear before anyone from Konoha arrived. Besides Shino and I, that is._ Ino whispers surreptitiously into his mind. Close contact helps facilitate a connection using negligible amounts of chakra, so as to go unnoticed by the ANBU. Linking with either of her teammates is easy now, after spending over a week entwined mind-to-mind during their campaign against Danzou. Physical contact is only necessary because Sasuke is still low on chakra. _We have not been punished. Nor will we be— Shino's allies consumed the remnants of our chakra, leaving only yours, Danzou's and that of our Root opponents._

Knowing his tendency to overthink, she adds, her mental voice sly, _And don't worry. The Hokage probably won't do much to you... the clans would riot. It was a justified kill. We may not be obsessed with bushido like the samurai, but even ninja have honor._

 _Thank you, Ino,_ is Sasuke's silent reply. _I wasn't that worried._

The smile remains, and her arms give one more enthusiastic squeeze before loosening their grip. "Why, yes. Yes, you are. I'm reminding you so that you don't try anything stupid in the meantime."

"Sadist."

"You know it!" She chirps, stepping back, away from his bed. "On a serious note... you had us worried. I thought we agreed you're not allowed to do that either?"

"Hn."

"Be more careful next time," she blithely continues despite what others would consider a non-answer from her friend. "I would say don't let there be a next time, but you're you."

"...Hn." _Oh, now you're just doing that to piss me off_ , Ino fumes internally. _Fine, Uchiha Sasuke. You want to play? Then let's play._ "Hmm. I wonder what Suna kunoichi, Temari-san was it? Would think of your antics? Don't think I didn't notice you left her a letter, too." She pauses dramatically, letting the panic in Sasuke's eyes grow, "Hey, you know, I bet we could still send it to her. What do you think, Shino-kun?"

Sasuke pales, and then rapidly flushes in obvious embarrassment.

Shino snorts softly, shaking his head, "Inadvisable. Why? It is unwise to give a genjutsu master reason to practice their craft on you."

"Hmm... You might have a point. Well, I'll keep it in reserve, then. Right. Sasuke, I've got to head out. This is actually my lunch break; you've given us a ton of work back in T&I. Maybe Tsunade-sama will make you help? I'm sure Anko-senpai wouldn't mind! She sends her best wishes, by the way."

She waves, calling out, "Ja ne!" before turning towards the door, Shino falling into step behind her.

Sasuke speaks up just as they reach the door. "Ino. Shino... Thanks."

 _For everything._

* * *

Again, he stands in the hospital, watching one of his students trapped in a bed. He feels a pang of sympathy for Minato-sensei now, remembering the times Obito, Rin and he spent convalescing in similar beds.

 _Still—none of us were ever_ _this_ _reckless. Not until—_ He pointedly turns his thoughts away from that memory. The previous two times he'd visited, Sasuke had been either asleep or faking it exceptionally well.

This time, his pupil is awake, eyes narrowed slightly, staring intently at the clock across the room from him.

"Sasuke."

"Shishou," is his terse reply. _Ah, the stubbornness of youth._ The thought flits away. The silence that follows this exchange is neither tense nor peaceful. It is— like waiting on a precipice. Sasuke is waiting to be chastised. Hatake Kakashi, in turn, is waiting for an explanation.

Kakashi speaks first, tone almost jovial, but for the angry undercurrent. "Work not challenging enough? Seeing as you designed your own suicide mission."

Sasuke's reply is almost petulant, "It's challenging enough."

The jounin strides closer, leaning against the wall beside Sasuke's bed, gaze piercing. "Then why."

The younger man turns his head, expression painfully neutral, and voice steady. "Because it was necessary."

"How?"

"On purpose, obviously. And very carefully." His student deadpans.

"Don't act stupid, Sasuke; we both know you aren't. How was it necessary? Why."

Kakashi's posture is deceptively relaxed, "Was it revenge?" _Because I thought I taught you better than that._

The younger man appears to mull over the question, eyes half-lidded at he stares in the direction of his sensei, his shishou. "Not entirely. I wouldn't have made a move against that bastard out of revenge alone."

A pause, "I suppose the Hokage has kept that part quiet, at least. I learned he was breeding kekkei genkai users. I don't know how he got the requisite... materials. I don't know if it was a fixation on the sharingan or something else, but— standing aside, ignoring what was going on. That's not in me."

Sasuke sits up with a faint grimace, turning so his Uchiha-black eyes meet Kakashi's own pale grey, his tone vehement, "I would rather be trash than give up on my beliefs. Abandoning family, leaving children to become emotionless puppets, living or dying depending on that man's whim... That's a fate worse than death."

A soft breath, barely a sigh, "It wasn't something I could overlook. Not if I wanted to be able to sleep ever again."

A dark fire, glimmering behind Sasuke's eyes as the younger man scowls, blanket fisted in his hands, "I don't care if you—" A deep breath, eyes fluttering closed, "No, that's a lie. I care what you think, Shishou. Because I respect you. Because you're family. But I won't relinquish what little in the way of morals I have left." _Not for the pride of this accursed village._ Kakashi can read between the lines.

"I see."

"Hn." And, again, underneath the brusque vocalization— _I don't know if you do,_ _but I'm not going to apologize for doing what I had to._

The silence is less awkward this time.

"...Next time, be more careful." Kakashi knows his students, his children, well. Sasuke did not go into this venture alone. And if another unusual situation comes up, there will be a next time.

 _And next time,_ Kakashi promises silently to himself, _I'll be there to watch their backs and make sure they return home unscathed._

* * *

Fog lingers in the early morning hours, grasping pale tendrils slithering through the neatly trimmed grass. The cool air makes a nearly imperceptible mist of my breath— transient proof that I am still alive. As if the achy, empty pain of chakra exhaustion and lingering fatigue weren't enough.

Tap, step.

Tap, step.

Tap, step.

The cobblestone under my feet is slick with dew. The crutches may be a hinderance, but they hold me up and keep me from taking a dive into the road face-first. 'Lingering fatigue' is a bit of an understatement. I've gained a lot of respect for sensei, putting up with our shenanigans in Nami no Kuni while this miserable.

Stopping at my destination, I carefully set the crutches aside, leaning forward to place a bouquet of white chrysanthemum beside the obsidian stone. The stone carved with two familiar names and an even more familiar clan symbol. One stone among hundreds, the field full of identical gravestones stretching out on every side of me. Some are barely a decade old, but many are much older. Every Uchiha that died in the service of Konoha is represented here, though many are not actually interred here. Clan Ninja, Uchiha more so than most, rarely die peacefully in their beds.

 _I'm sorry._

"I know I don't visit often enough." A sad smile, coupled with a deep bow at the waist, despite the focus needed in order to avoid stumbling or toppling over. "It is painful for me to be here, for many reasons."

 _A part of me— no. I miss you._

 _I miss the future that could have been, if not for scheming old men. The Uchiha Sasuke that could have been. All of that is… it's not something I should worry about._ The latter thoughts are coupled with a sardonic smile, flashed briefly. "Maudlin thoughts. Graveyards are a safe haven for tears and regrets, right? I don't want to dwell on either, so..." I let the thought trail off, lapsing into silence for a few minutes before quietly admitting, "I'm not sure you'd be proud of the person I chose to become."

A second bow, just as deep.

"Otou-sama. Okaa-sama... The one who set our family on the path to destruction is gone."

The ghosts of the past are quiet. My words are quieter still, eaten up by the breeze that stirs the lingering fog.

"I forgive you."

 _I love you._

Turning away from the field of graves, I stride out of the graveyard, back towards the heart of the village. Towards my family.

* * *

So, a little bit of the fallout. What will Tsunade come up with in terms of punishment? We'll see. Ultimately, she used the situation for her own benefit. Of course, it can only get more chaotic from here...

And Kakashi? He's gotten pretty attached to his kids. I have to be honest, I didn't actually see that part coming, not until I was writing it. Damn Muse.

Apologies it's ten days late. I added one of the scenes in last-minute, and as I'm currently on surgery rotation (and therefore work long hours and a six-day week), editing took much longer than I hoped. In other news, I now know in detail what human viscera look and feel like while in a living body. (I'm not even joking.)

* * *

* Lyrics from "My Broken Road" by Broach.


	8. Chapter 8 - Still Waters

**Displaced**

 **Act I— A Complicated Truth.**

 _This time, this place— misused, mistakes._

 _Too long, too late, who was I to make you wait?_

 _Just one chance, just one breath—_

 _Just in case there's just one left._

* * *

 _It's time to just focus on living._

 _One day at a time._

* * *

On a chilly Thursday morning, a little over three weeks after the second time Root had been dismantled, this time unofficially and hopefully for good given Danzou's ignoble demise, I open my door to find six children on my doorstep.

A trio of—likely ANBU —also ping on my senses; they are hovering, hidden, around my property. Undoubtedly, Division Bo is keeping watch on my newest charges... and to be honest, I am more relieved than annoyed about that fact.

I assess my visitors silently, expression carefully molded into a neutral mask.

Black eyes, and familiar features in unfamiliar faces. Hair in various dark shades—barring one girl whose hair is an eye-catching red, though it's cut short enough to be little more than fuzz. We all have the same lanky build, even.

 _Six children._

 _So Tsunade spoke the truth, and all of them avoided the havoc we wreaked on Danzou's organization after all._ A weight lifts from my shoulders; as much as I was committed to my previous actions, I feared that I would inadvertently kill those I had been trying to free.

 _Six Uchiha._

If it were raining, they would look more like six bedraggled wet kittens on my doorstep.

The tallest and oldest is about a year and a half my junior, according to the records I'd appropriated. He was given the codename 'Sai' by Danzou, though I suppose we could try to determine who he was before his abduction. If that's even something he wants.

By the way the former Root are standing around him, he's their de facto leader for the moment.

My first impression is: straight, dark hair, cropped close to his head. An eerily blank expression. My face has the same general shape. The same cheekbones. The same eyes. He is dressed in shinobi style attire, long sleeved black shirt and baggy trousers, and is armed, most obviously with a standard-issue tantou holstered over his shoulder. A glance upwards proves my guess right; a Konoha hitai-ate covers his forehead.

 _So that's how it is. Official Root members are quietly being assimilated back into Konoha's general forces, probably after a thorough vetting with Ibiki's people. I suppose that means he passed, since he's armed and with a Konoha forehead protector._ Legally, that makes Sai an adult, although still nominally my responsibility if I choose to recognize him as a member of the clan.

At eleven, the next youngest child, the spiky-haired Noh, is old enough to take the graduation exam and become a shinobi. _I'll have to ask him if that's something he wants, to continue in that career. Training is a necessity regardless— but he has some taijutsu training, at least, given his posture..._ The boy is reserved, but not as eerily blank-faced as Sai. A pair of identical toddlers clings to him, one to each leg, chubby fingers gripping his pants tightly.

There is also a five year old girl and seven year old boy— no names on record. Both are of an age to be attending the Academy.

And judging by the look of things, from this day on, all six of them depend solely on me.

 _Six traumatized children._

 _What was I thinking?! Can I even handle this level of responsibility? Saying that I would be the one to watch over and protect them... I may not have used words, but that's what I was saying. What of my duties to ANBU, the village? And in this world, war is always on the horizon. What if I— no._

 _This isn't the time._

I blink once, twice, and open the door wider, stepping aside with a slight smile. "Welcome home." I gesture for them to come inside, "Let's talk in the living room first, and then I'll help you get situated." _This isn't merely duty. They are family, even if—_

 _I need them as much as they need me,_ a quiet voice in my head admits. _That is why I fought tooth and nail to retrieve them from that bastard's clutches, and then again to keep them._

 _...Besides, all those babysitting D-ranks had to be good for_ _something_ _._

The last thought causes me to snort softly as I corral my visitors into the living room, the four youngest settling on the couch while the two older boys hover over them protectively. I suppress a pang of hurt at that— _you don't need protection from me_ — and retrieve a stool from the kitchen, taking a seat across from them.

We assess each other from across the room.

"Alright... Introductions should come first, I suppose. I am Uchiha Sasuke, age sixteen, Chuunin of Konohagakure, and de-facto leader of the Uchiha Clan." _Of which you are a part, if you wish to be. Stay. Please._ "Feel free to call me Sasuke-kun, or even Nii-san. ...Actually, just call me whatever you'd prefer."

 _I really_ _do_ _babble when I'm nervous. Well, I can't afford to wear a mask around them, anyway._ I flush slightly in embarrassment, as six pairs of Uchiha-black eyes blink back at me.

 _Unnerving._

"So..." I gesture to the group of silent children, "What are your names?"

Sai straightens slightly, and takes the initiative, speaking in a quiet monotone. "I am called Sai; I am fifteen."

"Do you want to be called Sai?" I retort, head tilting slightly to the left. The teen blinks at that question, and replies in the same expressionless tone, if slightly questioning, "...It is an acceptable name?"

I respond by nodding agreeably, "Uchiha Sai, then. Unless you don't want to take the surname?"

"Uchiha Sai is acceptable."

A tense knot inside my chest unfurls, and I relax slightly, smile growing less strained, "I'm glad to hear that."

The spiky-haired eleven year old, his attire also Konoha shinobi standard, glances at Sai and then back to me. His voice is as equally controlled as Sai's, but... the words hint at hidden emotions. "Noh. I don't really like it. I'm eleven."

"Hm. Is there a name you would prefer? We can have it changed in the official records; Hokage-sama already gave me leave to do so."

"Yes." The boy stands silent for perhaps half a minute, and then— "Can I be called Yoshi? I... like that name."

"Of course, Yoshi-kun. Uchiha Yoshi it is."

Heavens above, the boy is trying to smile; it's just as awkward-looking as expected. "Thank you, Sasuke-sama." _Two steps forward, one step back. The last thing I need is for a troop of children to call me '-sama' anything._

The younger children continue to sit, eerily silent... until the oldest girl speaks up. "Ano... The four of us— we don't have names."

"Hn. Well, if you don't have one in mind like Yoshi-kun, I can go find a book with names and you can choose one you like?" I rise from the stool— to be honest, I'd dug through my mother's things for a book of baby names for just this sort of situation. _Just in case._ I'd spent a lot of time fretting in preparation for the kids' arrival, trying to make certain I would have everything they needed, within reason. Proper clothing, for example, would have to wait until Ino met them.

"Okay!" The girl cheerily replies.

 _It appears emotional dampening isn't implemented extensively until after age five._ Retrieving the book from a bookshelf across the room, I stride over to the couch, leaning on an armrest, and offer it to the girl. "Can you read, or would you like me to help?"

"Ahuh. I can read." The older boy sitting beside her nods as well. I pass the book over to them and glance to the two youngest. The two toddlers stare back at me without comment— I haven't heard as much as a peep from them yet. _It's... unnatural for small children to be this quiet and still,_ I think sadly. _I'll try to give them a happy childhood from now on._

Straightening, I consider the time— just past noon, and turn to Sai, who continues to loiter in the living room, looking awkwardly out of place. "Hmm. Sai-kun, have you eaten lunch yet?"

"No, Sasuke-san." The stoic boy replies calmly.

"Hmm. Is anyone allergic to any sorts of food? Nuts? Shellfish? Eggs?"

"No, Sasuke-san."

"Do you think you could at least call me Sasuke-senpai, if not Sasuke-nii?"

"Maybe, Sasuke-san."

I chuckle softly at that, "Alright, you've made your point. I did say you could call me whatever you felt comfortable with. In no one has any food allergies, I think I'll make stir-fry for lunch. Any of you are welcome to join me in the kitchen if you want to help. Otherwise, feel free to explore the house and grounds." _As I've already implemented some rudimentary childproofing, and locked Naruto's door to ensure no sticky fingers got into his things._ With that, I hastily retreat into the kitchen.

 _Kami above, I have no idea what I'm doing._

Not the cooking; I deftly cut vegetables into even slices without much thought. No—the parenting. Because taking these children in means becoming a responsible adult, a guardian, a parent to them. Maybe not for Sai, but definitely for the other five. _But I helped raise Naruto. Sort of. And I have been a decent mentor to Hotaru-chan._

 _Enough! You're stronger than this, Sasuke._ I shake the self-doubt away, and glance over to the entrance to the kitchen—Yoshi is lingering in the doorway, staring intently at me, particularly at my hands as I handle the knife.

Lips curling into a smile, "Yoshi-kun, is there something you want? Or would you like to help me make lunch?" I fully intend for all of them to eventually learn to cook, at the very least some basics. That is, assuming they don't know yet. It's a good skill to have.

"I do not know how to cook," Yoshi admits, lips angling downward in a mild frown. "That's fine. I can teach you, if you'd like. For now, how about you help by setting the table? There are some extra chairs we can use in that storage room, out in the hallway and to your left. Also, I found some high chairs for the littlest ones, don't miss those."

He obliges, fetching the extra chairs, then browses through the cupboards until he finds some dishes, and starts to set them on the table. _I will need to get a larger table soon, especially if I want my friends to come and eat dinner with my... cousins._ Next, the utensils— chopsticks for the older children, and small forks for the littles— are all placed appropriately.

"Why did you decide to take us in, Sasuke-sama? Why all of us?"

"Several reasons." _Some of which are complicated. I really don't want to explain._ Hands automatically handling the large pan on the stove, picking up a large wooden spoon to stir, I decide to summarize, "You are Uchiha. I am the current leader of our clan, such as it is. Thus, you are legally my responsibility. But that is probably the least important reason."

Setting my work aside for a moment, I turn to face Yoshi. "You, all of you, are family to me." _In a better, fairer world, we would have been raised together. Regardless of the fairness or unfairness of this world—_ "I believe that family is important, whether it's people we are tied to by blood, or a family that we choose."

 _How could I abandon you, as I was abandoned?_

"Because we're family, I want to give you a home, to support you, to help you achieve your goals in life." _I want to cheer for you when you succeed and wipe away your tears when you are hurt._ "Because that is what family does."

Yoshi blinks, and nods slowly. "I see."

 _You probably don't. But that's fine, too. We'll learn together._

I smile in reply. "Done setting the table? Could you go help the youngsters wash up? I'm almost finished. Ask Sai-kun to help you, too." With that, I turn back to the stove.

* * *

By the time my young cousins are back in the kitchen, I've scarfed down a quick lunch, and ensured the meal for the two toddlers would have pieces small enough for them to chew easily. I plan to watch them carefully to see if they need any assistance. Depending on their facility with utensils, a bath or change of clothes afterwards might be required.

Maintaining a conversation is a struggle, but I manage to keep the atmosphere relatively casual, despite the fact I'm nervously flitting around the kitchen, refilling glasses and sippy-cups with milk, juice or water, depending on the individual.

When a lull in the conversation comes, I question, "Did you decide on any names yet?"

"Hn." Suppressing a laugh at the stereotypical Uchiha answer, I look to the seven year old boy expectantly. He does not disappoint, mumbling a quiet, "Ryuuji. Uchiha Ryuuji."

"I'm Uchiha Naoko, Sasuke-sama! And the twins are Kyouya and Kyoko. I helped them pick their names out!" _With that level of energy, she must have driven her previous caretakers up the wall. She'll get on well with Kuroi-chan; I'll have to introduce them. Hotaru-chan, too. She might like the opportunity to take the younger girl under her wing._

"Alright, I'll add you to the clan register tonight and notify Tsunade-sama tomorrow morning." I steep some fruit tea for myself, pouring a cup when the mixture is sufficiently cooled, and sip at it quietly.

"I need to ask— would you be comfortable staying in this house with me, or would you prefer to stay in one of the clan houses nearby? Either is fine, although Kyouya and Kyoko should stay with either me or Sai-kun. I suppose the rest of you aren't much younger than I was when I started living by myself... We'll have to clean and re-furnish the buildings if you'd prefer the latter, but it's no problem."

Again, there is an awkward silence, and six pair of dark eyes staring at me. _Ah. Maybe I'm starting to overwhelm them with options?_ Naoko breaks first. "Which would you prefer, Sasuke-sama?"

"Hmm." _The house has been very lonely these past three years._ Cheeks warming, I glance away, certain I'm blushing, "Even if it will feel a little crowded, I would like for you to stay here. I meant it, when I said welcome home. And having you here would mean we can rear Kyo-kun and Kyo-chan together."

"...Can we still come here for meals whichever option we choose?" Sai questions, head tilting slightly to the right, like a curious bird.

"Of course, you're free to stop by whenever you like."

"I think I will claim a house nearby, if that is acceptable." Sai decides, "I would like room for my drawings."

"Alright, and the rest of you?"

A duet of "Hn" from Yoshi and Ryuuji, and a cheerful laugh from Naoko, "I'll stay here and guard Sasuke-sama and Kyouka-chan and Kyoko-chan."

And so it is decided.

The afternoon is spent touring the houses in the much reduced Uchiha compound, children in tow. Sai eventually chooses the house next door to mine, citing the need for easy access to food.

Dinner is takeout— a variety of different dishes for my foundlings to explore, so I can start determining who likes what sort of food before I have to make bento for Academy lunches. Barring some hellish cataclysm, I'll be confined to the village for the foreseeable future, per the Hokage's orders. Although, despite the chewing out she gave me once I was released from the hospital, being limited to ANBU duties in the village once I'm off sick leave isn't too awful a punishment. Even if she will dock my pay. Especially since that means I'll have time enough to help the younger Uchiha settle into village life before I start disappearing for days to weeks at a time.

Soon enough, it is evening, Kyouya and Kyoko falling asleep where they stand and Naoko not too far behind them, yawning and rubbing at her eyes. I scoop the two toddlers up into my arms, and carry them over to my bedroom, tucking them into my bed for now. I'll find the sleep clothes I set aside for them and transfer them over to the large crib I've set up in the room after I have everyone else situated.

Leaving the bedroom door ajar, I retreat to the living room. "Sai-kun, do you mind taking the couch for tonight? We'll get your new house organized tomorrow." The stoic boy nods, and I direct him to where the spare sheets are stored.

"Yoshi-kun, Ryuuji-kun, do you mind sharing a room with each other?"

"It's fine with me, Sasuke-sama," Yoshi obliges. Ryuuji responds with a sleepy-sounding, "Hn."

"Naoko-chan, you'll have your own room for now. I have a few friends that would love to help you decorate it. How does that sound?"

"That sounds nice, Sasuke-sama?"

I spend a few minutes chatting with the younger kids, keeping them distracted. Before long, Sai-kun has returned, and is folding out his bed, so I herd the three children into the bathroom to brush their teeth— considering how exhausted they seem, the showers will have to wait until tomorrow morning. "I know this a very different place from where you stayed before, so feel free to come get me if you need anything, no matter what the time is, alright? I'll be just down the hall."

I tuck all three of the young Uchiha into their beds, first the two boys, and then Naoko-chan, but decide against a kiss on the forehead— that level of affection might be a bit too much, too soon.

Retreating to my bedroom, I change the sleeping toddlers into some slightly-too-large pajamas— I'd had to guess on the sizes. I'll have to remedy that sometime this week. Sai, at least, can borrow my clothes without it being too awkward. And the younger three can use hand-me-downs until we can find the time to go shopping. The toddlers, on the other hand... I have no clue where Mother stored our baby clothes.

 _Maybe tomorrow._

I am the last to brush my teeth and settle into bed, thoughts of what tomorrow will bring circling like wolves in my mind. I forcibly push everything away and close my eyes.

I don't sleep for long.

No, the truth is, I barely doze. The younger Uchiha's heartbeats are rapid, fluttering things to my senses— especially the toddlers'. I recognize the problem relatively quickly— _I am unused to having so many people in my house at once._ And the fact is, I'm not used to having young children around me for longer than an hour or three. Teaching at the Academy and a handful of babysitting D-ranks have not exactly prepared me for this.

Kyouya and Kyoko are restless sleepers, tossing and turning in discomfort. Their blanket is quickly twisted, and then kicked off to the side of the large crib I'd relocated them into. By the time I rise to check on them, resigned to the fact that I will not be sleeping tonight, they are clinging to each other for warmth, brows furrowed and identical mouths scowling adorably. Mirror images, but for the differently colored pajamas.

Sighing softly, I retrieve their blanket, and tuck it around the pair, watching as their grip on each other loosens, expressions smoothing out. I watch them for a few more heartbeats, and the return to my bed.

My usual approach to the occasional bout of insomnia is to putter around the house or wander the village. However, I cannot afford to wake the rest of the house, nor do I want to not be here when they wake.

I find myself with ample time to sit and think.

Truly, a dangerous occupation.

* * *

It is early Saturday morning, barely past 6AM, and Sensei is in my kitchen.

 _Why?_

He didn't knock. In fact, he probably entered through the kitchen window; the traps placed on the windowsill have been disarmed.

 _Why am I not surprised?_ I think with fond exasperation.

"Good morning, Sensei. As I'm still on leave for the next week and a half, barring any world-ending emergencies, I suppose you're not here for anything official?" I greet him with a tired grin. Someone— usually Kyouya-chan and Kyoko-chan— has trouble sleeping the night through. Every night. _Just adjusting to the new situation, I suppose._ Understandably, all of us are light sleepers. Everyone has been cranky, especially the twins, so I've had to encourage afternoon naps as a countermeasure.

 _Beyond that, they've been doing well. I'll need to see about school soon._

"Maa, maa... I'm here for breakfast, Sasuke-kun," the man explains with a cheery wave, "And to meet your new cute little siblings. Ino is brimming with curiosity and wanted to come along as well, but I persuaded her to wait." _And Shino is out on a mission until Tuesday, so he can't provide you with more information._

I bite back a groan, completely unprepared to be social right now, "Can the inquisition wait until I've had coffee?" Eyes half-lidded, I stare at him entreatingly, "Please?" _I'm not even that fond of coffee, but damn, I need the higher caffeine content right now._

"Experiencing the many, many joys of fatherhood?" Sensei gives an eye-smile and waves me away when I shuffle, zombie-like, towards the coffee grinder, indicating he'll handle that himself.

"Don't say that as if you've experience with it, shishou," I mutter bitterly as I ooze into a chair, resting my forehead against the kitchen table. A content sigh; the surface is blessedly cool— soothing. "They're good kids, but... Well. I knew they'd be a handful, even if it's not in the normal way. And I'm not their father, just a guardian. Sai-kun doesn't even need that, really."

Soon enough, Kakashi slides a mug of hot coffee in my direction, black as night and filed with enough caffeine to keep a civilian hyperactive for a week, no doubt. _Sensei, I could kiss you._ I stare at the large mug of coffee covetously, breathing in the rich scent, before gulping down the scalding liquid post-haste. It burns on the way down, but damn, I need that right now.

A refill, downed just as quickly, and I am starting to feel relatively human. "Right. Breakfast. Need to start breakfast... What would you like for breakfast, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Don't worry about it; I'll fetch you and your chibis something from the bakery." _Okay. Who are you, and what did you do with Kakashi-sensei. That man is never this accommodating; he's a brazen_ _mooch_ _. I can count on one hand the amount of times he bought Team Seven lunch or dinner, and probably still have fingers left over._ "Did you by any chance suffer a head injury recently, sensei?"

"No, what makes you ask that?" How the man can pull off a beatific expression with three-quarters of his face hidden, I'll never know.

"Never mind." _I don't even want to know._ I pull the coffee mug closer to my slumped form, cradling it gently in my hands and take a slow, deliberate sip. _Sooo... goooood..._ "I'm just going to sit here and drink my coffee. Thank you for helping out, sensei. Nothing too sugary, please. I'm trying to limit their access to very rich foods for the first few weeks while their stomachs adjust. They had a limited diet before, so—"

Kakashi just ruffles my hair and disappears in a swirl of leaves.

"...that man thrives on confusion."

And for the next fifteen minutes, there is blessed, coffee-filled silence.

Fifteen minutes of peace, and then my gaggle of goslings is up and stumbling into my haven— barring the twins, who should be asleep for another half-hour or so.

"Sai-kun, Naoko-chan, Yoshi-kun, Ryiiju-kun." I try to remind them of their names, and their right to use them, every chance I get. "Good morning."

Naoko-chan and Ryuuji-kun both give me sleepy smiles. Sai, fully awake, nods in acknowledgement of the greeting. Yoshi-kun waves. "Sensei should be back with breakfast soon... Does anyone want juice? Milk?" Rising, I deposit my empty coffee cup in the sink, heading towards the refrigerator.

"Juice, please!" Naoko-chan chirps. Sai shakes his head mutely and meanders over to the coffee pot, pouring himself a cup.

Yoshi-kun retrieves enough empty glasses for six people. "Who is sensei?" He asks cautiously while arranging the glasses on the table, before heading back for plates.

"Aa, right. Hatake Kakashi. He was the jounin-sensei for my genin team. Technically, he's my shishou." _And my immediate superior in ANBU, as well, although you don't need to know that._ Having retrieved the orange juice, I pour some for Naoko-chan, who replies with a cheerful 'thanks', and place the carton at the center of the table, retaking my seat.

"Did everyone sleep well?" My adorable cousins stare at the table in unison. _Note to self— stop asking about sleeping habits; nobody ever answers. Interesting that they are quiet enough, even in sleep, for any nightmares to go largely unnoticed._ "Right. Never mind. Just... I am here if you have anything you wish to talk about." _Graceful retreat, Sasuke, very graceful._

"Yoshi-kun, have you decided if you wish to continue your shinobi training?"

"I want to, Sasuke-sama."

"Then I'll file the paperwork. You'll have to take an exam to determine which academy year you'll be placed in. I'll help you locate study materials to review and then we can choose an exam date, if you'd like?"

"...Yes, Sasuke-sama."

"Ryuu-kun and I want to join the academy too!" Naoko pipes up, gesturing wildly; she's been acting the most childish of the lot. Which, objectively, makes her the least normal, technically.

"Hn. As you wish, Naoko-sama, so it shall be." I wink and salute her cheekily. Sai and Yoshi eye me with confusion, but the youngsters at the table giggle at my antics, causing my lips to curl into a genuine smile.

 _I suppose it is true, that young children are the most resilient._

"You really are good with kids, Sasuke-kun." A familiar voice interrupts our fun; sensei is back.

* * *

Kakashi watches as Sasuke serves the delicacies he brought back from the bakery, dividing the pastries among the children, ensuring everyone has a refill on the beverage that they favor—water, milk or juice for the younger children, coffee for Sai.

Seeing his student dote on the children, the first thought that comes to mind is— _they are good for him._ It has always been obvious that Sasuke truly thrives when he has people to care for: Naruto, Shino, Ino... even Mitarashi Anko and Kakashi himself. The Uchiha pulls others into his orbit by force of personality, and then proceeds to mother them. Relentlessly. Despite the Uchiha's claim that he became a medic because he enjoys the challenge of creating interesting assassination techniques, causing mysterious deaths... It's a bit of a weak argument when he sees Sasuke like this.

 _Yes, they are good for him. And he will be— is a wonderful father, for all his nervousness about the responsibility._

The children watch Kakashi with suspicious eyes, obviously wary. He gives a jaunty wave from his seat, body language relaxed, visible eye curved in one of his typical smiles. "Aa, so suspicious! Do you have any questions? I can tell you plenty of embarrassing stories about Sasuke-kun. For example, there was this one mission, where they were short a kunoichi, and he—"

At that, Sasuke gives a rather vicious glare. It's ruined entirely by the faint dusting of pink on his cheeks. "Kakashi-sensei. Must you? Besides, you weren't even there for that debacle."

He laughs, "Well, that's true. You could tell the story yourself, then?"

"Maybe later." His expression very clearly says 'no way in hell' instead. Kakashi laughs maniacally on the inside. After all, what's the point of having students if you can't torment them?

"Ano..." One of the boys— _maybe the one Sasuke introduced as Ryuuji_?— speaks up first, after a hesitant glance at Sasuke. "Were you really Sasuke-sama's jounin sensei? Sasuke-sama is only a little older than Sai-senpai. And you look really old."

 _Oh, ouch!_ Kakashi assumes a wounded expression, looking positively— droopy. "I'm not old! It's a normal hair color."

Ryuuji's retort is a skeptical-sounding hum. Naoko giggles, covering her mouth to stifle the sound— at whose antics she's laughing is uncertain.

"Mou, your kids are so cruel, Sasuke-kun. Just like you."

"Eat your breakfast, Sensei." His student says with an exasperated sigh. The'stop acting so embarrassing' heavily implied in Sasuke's glare. Kakashi gleefully ignores the silent command, and continues to make a nuisance of himself the rest of the morning.

There are several reasons for this... First, needling his students is something that must be done at every opportunity; it's practically in the teacher's handbook. Also, the longer he stays, the greater the likelihood he will be able to get a (delicious) home cooked lunch. Finally, loitering around the Uchiha means the children will adjust to his presence more quickly— important, as Sasuke has a limited number of people he would trust to watch the children, the other three members of Team Seven among them. It's also a fantastic excuse for being three hours late to an exceptionally boring meeting. Icing on the cake, really.

* * *

Enter a slew of OCs. Hmmm. (Happy? Unhappy?) Come on, did you think that situation would end in any other way? You know this Sasuke well enough to predict some things by now...

Filler, with a dash of mushy emotions. Well, okay, slice-of-life. I wanted to give Sasuke a chance to be domestic; he insisted, the brat... and then his complicated feelings about everything got in the way.

What's next? Well, there are still plenty of problems to tackle, but this is essentially the end of Act I. A short interlude, and then things will really start going sideways.

And to help everyone remember the Uchiha OC's, here's the list again:

Uchiha Male, Age: 15, Designation: Sai (Sai, who is technically not an OC.)

Uchiha Male, Age: 11, Designation: Noh (Yoshi)

Uchiha Male, Age: 7, U0016 (Ryuuji)

Uchiha Female, Age: 5, U0027 (Naoko)

Uchiha Male, Age: 3, U0042 (Kyouya)

Uchiha Female, Age: 3, U0043 (Kyoko)

Don't worry. The little Uchiha are here to stay, but they won't be taking center stage often, much like Aburame Hotaru.

* * *

 **Eikyuu Sonomi:** Hah, Sasuke is definitely growing on her. Tsunade has developed a (very) grudging sense of respect for him. If they'd been born in the same generation, they would have been either the best of friends or the greatest of rivals (probably both). Instead she sees him as this kid with a lot of potential, but definitely a pain in the ass. Not as motherly as her feelings towards Naruto (they are technically distantly related), but grudgingly fond nevertheless.

Also— yes, the schedule is awful, but it's technically a "learning experience" so no, they don't pay medical students, they charge us lots of money for the honor instead. (Medical school is horrendously expensive. It's a bit of a running joke, even; I had someone call me "tuition" when addressing me in the OR the other day. It was hilarious, but also kind of demeaning.)

 **Guest:** Thank you for the constructive criticism! I'm always working on my writing, and I'll keep your suggestions in mind. ^^;

* * *

*Lyrics from "Far Away" by Nickelback.


	9. Chapter 9 - Homecoming

**Displaced**

 **Interlude – Homecoming**

 _It's hard to comprehend that my existence here,_

 _Is like a rain drop in the sea—endless time._

* * *

 _And then, sometimes, there are the days where everything goes right..._

 _Inevitably, the week before and the week after both feel like a complete and utter wreck. But for that evanescent moment— peace._

* * *

While the fallout of my, shall we say, enthusiastic pursuit of the truth has generally improved the lives of many individuals— counted among that number, I hope, are my newfound cousins— there have been some mildly unpleasant consequences for me.

First and foremost, I have been banned from taking missions outside the village walls for the foreseeable future. According to the Senju harridan, this will last at the very least for several , out of necessity, I have been temporarily loaned out to Division Bo, and promptly 'volunteered' for guard duty. The latter is understandable; guard duty is the least popular task that section of ANBU handles.

Most of Division Bo is also a touch annoyed with me. The wild rumors running rampant through the civilian population and lower ranked ninja forces regarding the cause of Danzou's demise are truly ridiculous nonsense, if conveniently far from the truth. Considering said rumors put their loyalty or competence into question... well, there is no need for further explanation about why I will be guarding various locations and personages of import for however long my punishment lasts. And why I have the 'unlucky' tendency to be placed on night shift.

On the plus side, many of those nights are actually spent watching my own home.

Today, I am a part of the team guarding the Godaime Hokage— a rather laughable task, given the woman's considerable strength.

Cloaked in an illusion, I am positioned next to the open window, to the right of the Hokage's desk. Two other ANBU— the rabbit-masked Usagi and Hana, whose ursine mask is decorated with delicate pink lines, are perched on the strategically placed wooden beams above us. A fourth and final ANBU, the wolf-masked Nami, is in the corner closest to the single door in the room, also under genjutsu.

The Godaime Hokage is working diligently for once, as her apprentices have confiscated her alcohol. Unsurprisingly, she is in a particularly foul mood.

The door swooshes open, and a bright eyed, smiling secretary enters with a towering stack of paperwork, barely flinching at Tsunade-sama's poisonous glare. This newest pile is deposited on the desk, and the perky chuunin scurries out of the room in haste.

 _I may have to appropriate some high-quality alcohol to appease Hokage-sama with._ Given that I am one of the causes behind the current swell in paperwork, she is as likely to aim the next convenient projectile—pen, stapler, or desk— at me as whoever actually inspires her ire.

 _The woman certainly knows how to hold a grudge._

There is a commotion behind the door— a familiar voice rises above the hubbub, yelling in excitement. The door slams open, and Naruto practically bounces into the room, screeching to halt in front of the desk. "HEY JI— T-Tsunade-baa-chan! What are you doing here?! Don't tell me, they made you the Hokage?"

I can't help but roll my eyes behind my ANBU mask, resisting the urge to groan at my brother's obliviousness. _Naruto, there is a_ _giant fifth face_ _on the monument. How did you manage not to notice that? Moreover, didn't I mention this in my letters? Or when I visited? I know I did. Honestly..._

The Godaime's incredulous expression says it all. She brushes off the question, "Be polite to your Hokage, gaki, or I'll have you doing babysitting D-ranks for the next week! Don't call me Baa-chan!" Tone becoming distinctly motherly, she adds, "Welcome back, Naruto-kun." And then, with less enthusiasm, to her former teammate, who quietly slid into the room shortly after Naruto's loud entrance, "Oh, and I suppose welcome back to you too, Jiraiya. Even though you're over a year late."

"Tsunade-hime! You look as ravishing as ever!" The white-haired man replies, wagging his eyebrows with a lecherous grin.

"Aha..." Reaching up, Naruto scratches at the back of his neck, "It's really great to be home."

Ignoring the casual conversation with practiced ease, I let my eyes drift over Naruto, assessing. _Even though I saw him not so long ago... He's grown._ I think with a smile. _And hopefully matured, as well, though perhaps that's too much to ask._

"Ne, ne, Tsunade-baa-chan, can you tell me if Sasuke-nii is in the village?"

The smile drops from Tsunade's face, and the mood in the room instantly sours. "He's around," she replies vaguely, the corner of her left eye twitching. "And didn't I just say it?! Stop calling me Baa-chan!"

Naruto ignored the second half of her response entirely, "Yatta! I can't wait to eat his cooking again. Maybe he'll make ramen for my welcome-home meal!"

 _Not a bad idea; I suppose I can indulge Naruto's obsession this once. I can pick up the supplies after my shift._

"Hey, can I go, then?"

Tsunade gives a negligent wave, "Fine, brat. I know you're eager to see your friends again. Jiraiya can handle the verbal report himself."

As soon as the door slams behind Naruto, Jiraiya guffaws. "If I didn't know better..."

"Don't say it." Tsunade snorts softly, "The world is better off not knowing what your rotten brain is trying to think up... shameless pervert."

"Aww, so you did miss me, Hime!"

She glares in reply, the pen gripped in her hand creaking in an unsettling manner, and then, apparently deciding to let the comment slide, calls out— "Mugen."

I loosen my grip on the genjutsu hiding me from view, revealing my presence next to the window. "Yes, Hokage-sama?" I answer in a cool monotone.

Breath leaving her in an exasperated sigh, she gestures towards the door, "You may as well go too." _Ha! Because Naruto is going to overturn the rest of the village looking for me and give you a migraine?_

Tone warming marginally, I bow politely, "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

An aggravated sigh. "Don't mention it, you menace."

I salute, and melt from view, cloaking myself in another genjutsu, before rapidly exiting out the open window, not a trace left behind.

* * *

Jiraiya blinks at the ANBU's exit, expression calculating, "Don't tell me that was..?" _Uchiha Sasuke._

"Yes," comes his teammate's terse reply, as she angrily scrawls her signature and stamps another sheet of paper before pushing it hastily into a different pile.

He guffaws, "He was recruited into ANBU, they named him Mugen of all things, and you have him doing guard duty? That's just—"

"Jiraiya!" Tsunade interjects sharply, "He's lucky to be here instead of guarding the front gates." _Or in a traitor's grave._ "That insufferable brat has given me so much paperwork."

Jiraiya's laughter peters off, and he smiles grimly, changing the topic. "Right, right... I heard about that little brouhaha. Still, he did you a favor too, you know." _Repatriating Root shinobi will boost our forces at the very least back to what they were before the Oto-Suna invasion._ "Anyway, as fun as it is to catch up on village gossip, I have more serious things to discuss. Akatsuki are beginning to move. We're going to need to make some preparations."

* * *

I swap out of my ANBU attire rapidly, and search out Naruto's chakra presence, even managing to catch him before he makes it home. Mostly because he insists on stopping by Teuchi-san and Ayame-san's ramen stall.

 _I should have known_. Smiling fondly as I approach and call out, "Welcome back, Naruto-kun."

Naruto turns away from the stall rapidly, swiveling in his seat after slurping up one last noodle. His answer is a smile as bright as the sun, "Sasuke-nii, I'm home!" He waves enthusiastically, chopsticks in hand, a half-finished steaming bowl of ramen on the counter behind him.

"I noticed... I'm glad I caught you in time. Spoiling your appetite for dinner already?"

Naruto devours the ramen noodles noisily— on his fifth bowl already. "Huh? What do you mean? I'll be hungry by the time you make dinner anyway!" Pouting, he stares at the small stack of empty bowls with obvious yearning. "'Sides. I wasn't even sure if you were home or away on a mission."

Rapidly finishing his delicious noodle-rich meal, Naruto slaps the requisite funds on the counter and practically bounces towards me, slinging arms around my torso in an enthusiastic hug. I'm secretly relieved to notice he's still a few inches shorter than me. "Missed you," the muffled words are mumbled into my shoulder. I squeeze back, pointedly ignoring the stares from the occasional passersby. "Aa..." An embarrassed pause, as I can feel myself flushing slightly at Naruto's wholehearted imitation of a limpet, "I missed you too, otouto." A few moments later, he eases up, looking equally embarrassed, but grinning nevertheless.

"I'll probably be home in the evenings for the foreseeable future." _Considering I'm technically on something drastically similar to house arrest... Village arrest? Confined to the village. Whatever._

"Eh? Why?"

"Part of it is— the village has gone through some changes." _Some of it personally affected me. You know: killing Danzou, sort-of-adopting the six Uchiha that Konoha managed to retrieve from his shadow organization of treacherous doom..._ "Not just the Godaime Hokage taking up her seat. Didn't Jiraiya tell you anything?"

Nose wrinkled in confusion, Naruto shakes his head, "Nope. He didn't even tell me about Tsunade-baa-chan taking Jiji's hat! You going to keep being all mysterious?"

"It's easier to show you. If nothing else, your reaction should be amusing." _I think my little Uchiha will like you, though. Definitely Naoko-chan. Kyo-kun and Kyo-chan, too, once they warm up to you. They're still shy around strangers._

 _The academy won't be let out for a few hours. Still, Kyouya and Kyoko will be home. I may as well relieve the unfortunate genin that have been hired to be their sitters for the day. Sai should be out on a mission for the next two days, but the others will be home in the early afternoon. They prefer practicing on our private training grounds as opposed to the ones set aside for Academy students._

"Mean! But I guess I can wait a few more minutes." Laughing, he falls into step beside me, and starts recounting one of his more recent escapades, gesticulating wildly in emphasis.

We make it back to the much-diminished Uchiha compound in short order.

"I'm home!" I call out upon opening the front door.

I am greeted by high-pitched giggles, and an exhausted-looking genin team, their kunoichi member struggling to hold on to a pair of wriggling bundles— Kyouya and Kyoko. "Uchiha-san," she questions, "You're back early today?"

I nod, "Team Four. Thank you for your hard work." Scribbling a signature on the mission scroll one of the disgruntled-looking genin offers me, making sure to add a few positive comments regarding their capabilities— the twins act as if they've been fed and adequately entertained, after all. "Alright. Shoo, go pick up your pay."

The kunoichi releases her burdens with a relieved sigh, and I immediately find myself with two eager toddlers clinging to my legs. The genin team retreats out the closest window. Understandable, as a completely gobsmacked Naruto remains frozen in front of the door.

"...Sasuke, when did you have kids?!" Naruto shrieks at the top of his voice. "Who's the mom? No! Wait. Oh, Kami— can Uchiha procreate like plants?!"

A burst of deep belly-laughter. _Nobody can make me laugh like Naruto._

"No. Just... No." Reaching down, I scoop the twins into my arms, balancing a child on each hip. They remain too quiet for their age, rarely speaking. It is not a matter of capability— they speak in complete sentences, given the right encouragement. At least they're beginning to behave more like normal toddlers—mischief and laughter. "But Naruto-kun, your expression? Priceless!"

Pausing to deposit both children into the playpen set up in the living room— taking the place of the coffee table, which has been pushed up against the wall. Kyo-chan and Kyo-kun gaze up at me, eyes wide with betrayal, begging to be let back out. Ruffling their hair playfully, I murmur, "Remember, if you want something, you have to speak up." Their puppyish pouts intensify, but I hold on to my resolve, turning away to answer Naruto's implied question.

Smiling at my brother's confused expression, I elaborate, "Strictly speaking, I guess the best way to describe our relationship would be cousins."

"Eeh?! Cousins? But— No, you know what, I probably don't want to know."

 _You really don't, trust me. When did you become this sensible?_

Expression impish, Naruto adds, "You can tell me later. We'll spar."

"Alright." Nodding, I retreat into the kitchen, calling over my shoulder, "I have five wards— underage clan members. Most are distant cousins, as far as we can tell. You've met the twins: Kyouya-kun and Kyoko-chan; they're three. Yoshi-kun, Naoko-chan, and Ryuuji-kun are a little older. They'll be back once the academy lets out for the day." _Yoshi will be graduating with the next class— he's ready. Really, all three of them are ready for graduation, but I have mixed feelings on the matter; they're just so_ _young_ _. And considering war with Oto is on the horizon..._

"Sai, a sixth cousin, is of age, but still theoretically under my purview— he's out of the village on a mission." _He's also the single most socially awkward person I know. Watching Ino trying to socialize him is hilarious. Sad, too. But mostly hilarious._

Pulling a container of cherry tomatoes from the pantry, I pour several handfuls into a bowl-shaped sieve, and rinse them off in the sink. Popping one into my mouth on the sly, I slide the rest into a bright orange bowl and carry it out to Kyo-kun and Kyo-chan. I hold the bowl hostage until one of the two speaks: a quiet, childish voice whispering, "Please can we have a snack? And t'ank you, Sasuke-nii."

"You're welcome, chibi." I murmur with a smile. "What would you like to do this afternoon?"

"...Book?" Kyoko pipes up, expression hesitant.

"Are you sure?" We're in chapter four of 'The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi', but I usually read to them in the evenings.

"Mmmhm. Book." Kyouya nods decisively.

"Huh." Naruto watches the toddlers, expression thoughtful, "I wonder if I have any relatives I don't know about, somewhere out there?"

A teasing smirk, "Don't worry; I'll share. You can read to them this evening." _Annoying little brother. Even though these children are tied to me though blood— all that means is that our family has become larger._ "More seriously— are there other Uzumaki out there? Maybe. We don't really have a way of knowing. If they exist, you and I will find them eventually, right? That is, if you want to look for them."

 _That sassy red-head from the chuunin exam_. _Ka-something... Kara? No, that's not it. Karin. She's an Uzumaki, right? I wonder if she's still alive._

"Ha!" Naruto flashes a winning smile, pensive mood evaporating, "Yeah, you're right. I mean, you're almost always right, except when you're being a jerk on purpose. So, I'll just have to look for them, dattebayo! I don't really know much about my family, though."

"Hn." _I am no more often right than any other person, but— thanks?_ "Get settled back in your room; I'll entertain Kyoko-chan and Kyouya-kun in the meantime." _And then I'll start on dinner. 'Welcome back' ramen, right?_

* * *

The ramen is delicious. Almost as good as Teuchi-jiji and Ayame-nee's cooking. Idly, he wonders if Sasuke managed to copy their abilities with his sharingan somehow.

 _Sasuke-nii wouldn't, though. He's too proud of his cooking skills._

If he's being honest with himself— and since meeting and befriending Sasuke-nii all those years ago, Naruto has tried to be— it's a little disconcerting. For nearly as far back as he can remember, Sasuke has been his. His rival, his best friend, his older brother.

Sasuke is the person that taught him when no one else seemed willing to even look in his direction; someone that believed in him, supported his dream, and challenged him to always strive to be better. The person that gave him a shoulder to cry on when he was weak. The one who knows his darkest secrets. The person that Naruto can always, always, always trust to have his back.

Sure, Sasuke has Shino as a best friend, too. But Shino has a family. He and Sasuke are—were— all the other had for family in Konoha. Without Sasuke— he knows he wouldn't be who he was today. And without Naruto, maybe this Sasuke wouldn't exist either.

 _Now that Sasuke-nii has other Uchiha here, other little brothers and sisters... Will he even need me anymore?_

Suddenly, the ramen Sasuke-nii had made as a special welcome home dinner doesn't taste fantastic anymore. In fact, he can't taste much of anything.

"Something wrong?" Sasuke turns away from his attempts to help the twins eat their first bowls of ramen— at the rate it's going, all three Uchiha are going to need baths in the immediate future. _Blasphemy! Wasting precious Ramen-chan!_ He swirls the noodles in his own extra-large, extra-orange bowl moodily.

"Not really. Just not feeling all that hungry."

The trio of younger children at the table gaze back and forth from Naruto to Sasuke and back, slurping their ramen in imitation of the stranger who had been introduced as 'Uzumaki Naruto, Future Hokage, and your other older brother.'

"Liar." Sasuke replies distractedly, but turns back to Naruto to ask, "Can it wait until after dinner?"

"...Yeah." A wan smile, "Yeah, it's fine."

Dinner becomes quiet and awkward for everyone involved, except for Kyouya and Kyoko who are mostly oblivious to the atmosphere.

After dinner, Sasuke wipes Kyouya and Kyoko's faces clean, and deposits them back into their playpen, leaving a Kage Bunshin to watch them. He herds the older children outside into the training area that is their backyard, to ensure they release the inevitable pent-up energy before they must finish their homework.

He cajoles Naruto into helping clean the kitchen, bribing him with the leftovers.

"So... My ramen not as good as you're used to, after all?"

"Ehehe, well, it's only almost as good as Ichiraku Ramen." Naruto forces a wide smile, lugging a container of leftover ramen over to the refrigerator before retaking his seat.

Sasuke watches his younger brother intently, absently sorting the dirty bowls and utensils, placing them into the sink. "I won't force you to tell me, but—you're a terrible liar. And it's not like you to leave leftover anything, let alone ramen."

"Sorry. It's just— the house is crowded. I'm not used to it." Idly, he picks at a loose thread on his left sleeve, pretending it's the most important thing in the world. _Well, it_ _has_ _been bothering me._

"You're right. It is pretty crowded now. Noisy, too. It was really quiet while you were away on your training trip." A pause, as Sasuke scrubs a particularly stubborn stain on the kitchen table, "I think I like it better this way. Although, that reminds me, I really need to buy a larger table for the kitchen."

"I guess... I can move out if you guys need the room?" Shoulders hunched, Naruto mumbles while staring at the table surface of the table.

Eyes narrowing slightly, Sasuke frowns, "I won't stop you from moving out if you want to, but—"

"I don't want to move out! I-I just..." He trails off, shrugging awkwardly. _I just wasn't sure you wanted me here anymore. I mean, you have a_ _real_ _family now._

Sasuke reaches over, prodding Naruto's forehead lightly with his middle and index fingers. "Naruto-kun. You're family. Don't forget that, hm?"

A rush of warmth, soul-deep. Naruto can hear the words Sasuke-nii means, even if the older boy doesn't always say them out will always have a place here. No matter what, you will always be family.

A heartfelt smile. "Thanks, Nii-san." _Thanks for understanding._

"Hmm... But you know, being an older brother is a lot of responsibility." His heart sinks at the sight of Sasuke's sneaky expression, impish smile and all, "Helping them with homework will be a good way for you to brush up on your basic ninja skills."

"Sasuke-niiiiii!" Naruto whines melodramatically, gripping his head as if he has a headache at the very thought of homework, "You're evil!"

Sasuke chuckles at his comically miserable expression, the baritone range his voice has lowered to as he matured making it sound particularly malevolent.

* * *

It's a few days before I can spend any time with Naruto without the other Uchiha being underfoot. The the curious little brats seem to find Naruto utterly irresistible, peppering him with questions about his travels. _Fair enough. I doubt any of them have ever been outside of Hi no Kuni._ Naruto, of course, flourishes under their attention. It takes cunning, trickery, and bribery— the true ninja arts— to distract my cute little cousins properly.

I setmy plans into motion on Saturday morning. Sai, back from his last mission, though several days late due to a complication, is joining us for breakfast. Once introduced, Naruto drags him into a conversation about jutsu.

I take advantage of a natural pause in their conversation, interjecting, "That reminds me. Sai-kun, do you know **Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu**?"

"No. I do not know many elemental jutsu." A pause, as the younger Uchiha gathers his thoughts, "Why do you ask, Sasuke-san?"

A casual shrug. I swirl the coffee in my mug, taking a sip to hide my smile. "Just a family tradition. In order to be considered an adult in the Clan and be able to wear the crest," here, I pause to tap the acorn-sized, red and white Uchiwa-shaped pin on my collar, "you have to master the basics of that Katon jutsu. It's a rite of passage dating back to before the formation of Konoha." _Uchiha have always been fire... loving and lethal in equal measure._

"As a shinobi, you're an adult in the eyes of the village already, of course. And it's a bit of an old-fashioned tradition... but it's something I thought you might be interested in." _I suppose it's something we did— do to honor our past, our ancestors._

Sai blinks, once, twice, and bows his head respectfully. "I am honored at the offer, Sasuke-sama. Thank you. I am interested in learning, if you have the time."

 _At least he only regresses to that level of formality when uncomfortable?_

Still,Sai's agreement isn't surprising; he's been developing an interest in history. Konoha's history, old scrolls describing the Uchiha as they once were— _I can't help but feel it's my fault. I told him that the easiest way to learn about how people think was to study how they had acted in the past._

I give him an encouraging smile as I tidy my place at the table, after swigging back the last dredges of my coffee. "How about I teach you the basics this afternoon, then? You've time off for a few days." _And I don't have guard duty until late tonight._

"Ne, when did you learn Goukakyuu no Jutsu, Sasuke-nii?" Naoko-chan interrupts, wide-eyed with excitement. Naoko is, unsurprisingly, nearly as jutsu-mad as Naruto at that age. So are Ryuuji and Yoshi, though they hide it better.

"Oh, before I graduated from the Academy," comes my glib reply. _Hook._ "I think I was six or seven?"

"Eh, really?!" Comes the high-pitched exclamation from my most excitable cousin.

"Who taught you?" Ryuuji sidles up to me, having finished his breakfast and dropped his plate off in the sink.

A wan smile. "My father was supposed to." _But instead, it was Itachi and Shisui that taught me the basics, and Kakashi-sensei who prodded and hinted until I truly mastered the technique._

"Ne, Naruto-san, did Nii-san really learn a fire jutsu before becoming a genin?" This little gem is voiced by Yoshi.

 _Seems I've hooked them all, now to reel them in._

"Geez, still so formal?" Naruto pouts a few seconds before bouncing back. "But yeah, he definitely did. I remember him wearing the Uchiha crest on his shirts when we were in the academy together."

"Sasuke-nii is so cool!" Naoko-chan grins widely, stars in her eyes.

"Oi, what about me?" Naruto puffs up like a popinjay, though his smile betrays his good humor.

Eyes curling into crescents reminiscent of Kakashi-sensei's eye-smiles, "Aren't I always more impressive than you?"

Dark eyes, intense in their focus— Ryuuji and Yoshi turn to glare at me as one. "Could I learn as well?" They ask in chorus.

"You've mastered the basic three jutsu, right? I suppose I could teach you as well, then. So long as you don't practice without supervision. Naoko-chan, too." _Yeah, I have them. Hook, line, and sinker._ "Naruto, why don't you help out as well?" He might never have called in that childhood favor, but I had taught him a Katon jutsu or two when we'd been starting out as genin, that techniqueincluded.

With the kids finally distracted, and with Sai and a handful of Kage Bunshin in place to supervise, Naruto and I sneak away to a nearby training ground and spend some time getting caught up— that is, beating the tar out of each other and showing off new techniques. And if a small pin finds its way into Naruto's pocket at some point during the afternoon? Well, as acting Clan Head, it's nobody's business but mine who I welcome into the Uchiha Clan.

* * *

Yatta! Naruto is back! And havoc inevitably follows. Two days late so I could fine-tune a scene or two.

...Also, I just noticed: did everyone in this 'verse develop a brother complex? Seriously. (Unintentional, but hilarious in retrospect.)

And yes, to those that noticed: Naruto and Sasuke are older than at the start of Shippuden—being sixteen and not fifteen. (Admittedly, I screwed up my math last chapter and made Sasuke seventeen, before you all called me out on it. Whoops! Easily fixed.) Jiraiya and Naruto were late coming back.

* * *

* Lyrics from "One With You" by Cenacle.


	10. Chapter 10 - Ripples

**Displaced**

 **Act II— Ouroboros.**

 _Somebody make me feel alive,_

 _And shatter me!_

* * *

 _I can taste it in the air. Bloodlust. Things are about to get complicated again._

 _...Finally!_

* * *

Konoha and its environs are well into winter by the time I'm finally no longer on probation. _Thank the heavens!_ Much as I love my little foundlings, between them and the endless hours spent guarding various 'important' people around the village I'd been going completely around the bend.

In other words, I'd been rapidly reaching the point where even a no-holds-barred spar with Lee was beginning to sound like a good idea. I've been going stir-crazy with boredom.

The rising tensions within the village haven't been much help; everyone has been antsy since Kumogakure brokered an alliance with Otogakure.

 _What are those air-headed morons_ _thinking_ _? Orochimaru has already proven he's willing to use others—hidden villages, people— for his goals and throw them away without any remorse... Then again, they are infamous for coveting kekkei-genkai users; Orochimaru's certainly not lacking access to those. You'd have to be mad to ally with him, though. Considering his former 'alliance' with Suna. I wonder what he offered them._

I am jarred from my thoughts by the heartbeats that appear at the edge of my senses. Rapid heartbeats, flares of elemental chakra— _a fight._ A glance towards Tenzou, our team's sensor and acting taichou for this mission, proves that he has also detected the fight within Hi no Kuni's borders. _No surprise._

We are returning from a mission scouting the movements of Oto troops near our borders, taking the opportunity to sabotage their supply lines. If a horse throws a shoe or a flock of sheep falls ill— well, these things happen, who will blame Konoha? Still, our mission is complete. And investigating a potential fight is within our purview, even if it means a short detour.

Moving through the trees as shadows, we arrive at the edge of the battlefield— a clearing not far from the main road that eventually leads to Konoha.

It is a mixed party of five Konoha and Suna shinobi, fighting against a platoon of nearly two dozen Otogakure ninja.

"Mugen— keep them alive." _Medic and support, then._ "Hai, Taichou," _This is exactly why I should have avoided full certification as a medic._ Somewhat disgruntled, but too professional to let it seep into my body language, I assess the battlefield, looking for the most severely injured on our side.

 _There._ An Inuzuka on the fringes of the battlefield, being protected by his canine partner while taking potshots at Oto shinobi. His left arm has nearly been severed above the elbow, hanging by his side, attached by only a thin strip of skin and muscle. A pair of enemy shinobi are rapidly approaching them.

 _Inuzuka Naiou_ , I note absently. He is a deceptively slender twenty-something chuunin with short, spiky grey hair. No distinctive red fang-like triangles on his cheeks; those are reserved for the main line Inuzuka. He and his 'sweet little Kimi-chan', the grey hound that loyally shadows his every step, specialize in tracking and ninjutsu.

In fact, I am somewhat familiar with three of the four Konoha shinobi participating in the fight.

Komiya Kaoru— a very unfortunately named jounin. He's a bald, burly taijutsu-obsessed guy, only a few years my senior. He's rather quiet; people tend to brush him off as 'dumb muscle' as a result. More the fools they. Much like the infamous Maito Gai, behind the burly exterior is a cunning mind.

Genji is a chuunin, though he could easily qualify for jounin rank if he wanted. He is a nondescript, brown-haired, brown-eyed man in his early twenties. He is best described as 'scruffy' and when dressed appropriately would not look particularly out of place slumming in a civilian bar, as one of a dozen world-weary laborers. Fitting; his specialty is infiltration, and he's excellent with knives, with nearly anything with a blade, a fact his opponent is wholly unprepared for, given the rate at which he's losing blood.

The fourth is an unfamiliar kunoichi, a chuunin or special jounin, judging by her attire, and given the speed and precision of her movements on the battlefield. The fifth, and only Sunagakure-affiliated member of the team is familiar as well: Temari. _It's been— maybe a year and a half, since I've seen her last?_ I shake the thoughts away; now is definitely not the time.

I vent a little of my frustration at being assigned support duties by ruthlessly cutting down one of the Oto chuunin approaching the Inuzuka's position; the ninken handles the other, tearing his throat out with her teeth. I flick my blade— the sizzle of lightning chakra and a mild ozone smell— and the blood on it is gone, tantou sliding smoothly back in its scabbard. The ninken eyes me with suspicion, baring her teeth in a silent threat, but allows me to pass upon recognizing me as an ally.

"Inuzuka." _Ally._ I convey without words, hands flitting through a sign language specific to Konoha, slipping in a few gestures that mark me as someone that's worked with Inuzuka teammates before.

"Ah... Yes, ANBU-san?" The chuunin sways slightly but continues to chuck kunai at our enemies. _Blood loss,_ I analyze, _uncertain chakra pool_ — _may require a chakra pill or transfer, depending on how long the battle has been ongoing_. _Transfer, because he_ _will_ _be ingesting a blood pill, and the two can cross-react unpleasantly in those of Inuzuka descent._ A hastily-applied tourniquet on his upper arm is keeping him alive and conscious, though it will make healing him more difficult in the long run.

"As reinforcements have arrived," I gesture back to the three ANBU descending upon the Oto shinobi with all the subtlety of a raging firestorm, even as I weave a genjutsu to hide the three of us. "I will be treating your injuries." Hands lighting with the calming green light of iryou jutsu, I give him a dark glare, daring the man to protest. Though my face is hidden behind a mask, the Inuzuka picks up on my mood and nods his acceptance, though his expression remains mulish.

"Sit." He obeys, and I crouch beside him. Here, at the edge of the forest, we are relatively isolated from the battle, although it remains within view. My teammates have been herding Oto away from this side of the field.

Inuzuka Naiou struggles to stay still, protesting, "The battle—"

"Will continue without either of us participating." _Oto's numbers were whittled down enough for a fair fight even before your injury, considering their training is complete shit._

Besides the injury to his arm by some sort of bladed weapon, the chuunin has a few deep-tissue bruises to his left side. He's relatively unharmed otherwise. And, luckily, his chakra pool is only about two-thirds depleted; no supplements necessary.

"But—"

 _Stubborn moron._ "Don't. Move." I command, my tone scathing. "No whining. If I work quickly, I should be able to save your arm. You're lucky it wasn't cauterized by a jutsu." I glance over to the ninken, "Keep your human in line, will you?" She gives me a doggy grin, and trots closer, standing guard, positioning herself between us and the battle.

"Here, bite this." I pass a clean strip of leather to the chuunin, which he obligingly places between his teeth, "You're running on nothing but chakra and adrenalin. Your body's going to realize exactly how injured you are soon, and I'm not going to dose you with a painkiller on a battlefield."

Stabilizing his wounded arm using a conveniently placed nearby stump—recently created via a jutsu-created wind blade, considering the fallen tree behind it—I begin by sterilizing the injury, as well as our immediate surroundings. The jutsu causes an unpleasant feeling, like one's skin has been scoured a little too thoroughly, but it's essential to minimize infections. It's not truly necessary in a proper operating room, obviously, but a godsend in the field. Besides, this is a hundred percent more efficient than manually washing his wound with sterile water.

I begin by adjusting his humerus, approximating it back into place. The healing chakra trickles through my hands, encouraging rapid growth and differentiation; no need for steel screws, plates, or rods when treating a fracture with a competent medic-nin around. _He'll need a splint regardless, to keep it stable as the bone matures for a few weeks._ Once the bone in his upper arm is secure, I mend the blood vessels and nerves — _some of the nerves were still connected, lucky but unlucky, since this must hurt like a_ _bitch_ — chakra stitching them back together.

Sweat beads my temples; delicate work like this is my forte, but it is draining, especially as I have to maintain the sterile field at the same time. That duty would typically be delegated to a less senior medic, an assistant. _Hell, ideally, more than one medic would handle such a severe injury._

Out of necessity, my attention is split between the Inuzuka's wound and our surroundings. A handful of times, enemy shinobi approach our position, only to be distracted by the genjutsu. Still, the fighting is finally winding down as I remove the makeshift tourniquet on Naiou's upper arm, after dissolving any blood clots, testing the integrity of the newly regenerated blood vessels and nerves one last time. After maneuvering ligaments and muscles back into their rightful place, I stitch his skin back together and slather on an antibiotic salve. Once the limb is bandaged, I glare balefully until he agrees to keep it immobilized in a sling.

"You'll live." I deadpan, "Head over to the hospital once we're home." _I can't afford to waste chakra on making certain you don't scar._

"Thank you," he pauses, fishing for a name, "ANBU-san." The chuunin grins sheepishly, "I know that most field medics would just choose to amputate."

 _Most people are idiots, and I can afford the chakra drain._

"I really owe you one."

"It's Mugen." I retort, tone sharp. "You don't owe me anything; I acted under orders." _And not out of some sentimental nonsense. I would have rather participated in the fight._ It's not entirely true, I know, but thinking it makes me feel a little less like a chakra-wielding physician. _An assassin doctor? Don't make me laugh._ Standing, I release the genjutsu that had been concealing us from view. By now, the battle is finished, and our comrades have scavenged the bodies for any useful intelligence.

"Mugen-san, then." The Inuzuka persists, "And I really do. I'd offer to buy you a drink, but—" Tenzou-taichou signals for me to approach, and I shunshin over to the rest of the group, cutting off the rest of his reply.

"Taichou. Injuries?"

Tenzou-taichou shakes his head, but gestures for me to look over the rest of our allies. "Hah, you're so brusque when you're irritated, Mugen," teases a bird-masked ANBU. I suppress an irritated sigh; now that the fight is over, and since we're going to be accompanying the Konoha team escorting Temari-chan, the more social personalities can afford to relax slightly.

Unlike Sasuke is aware of social niceties and easygoing around people he trusts. ANBU Mugen is not social by any stretch of the imagination. That is, except with Kou— because Kou is Shino, and Mugen can make exceptions if he damn well wants to.

"I am always brusque." I reply curtly, "And that was not an answer." I scrutinize the Konoha chuunin and jounin present first— mostly superficial injuries, scrapes, bruises, mild burns and the like. Nothing that requires immediate treatment, certainly nothing they can't take care of themselves. A wince from Temari, as she shifts with discomfort when someone nudges her side by accident. _Bruised ribs, perhaps. Possibly a fracture._ Finally, my three ANBU teammates are relatively uninjured, as well.

"Suna kunoichi." _Accursed temptation to call her Suna-chan. Remember, Sasuke— in this mask, you are Mugen._

"Eh?" The blonde kunoichi glances in my direction, expression neutral.

"Your ribs. Do you want them looked at now, or after we reach Konoha?" A pause, "If it is a fracture or break, be advised that travel may make it worse." That we could always encounter another team of Oto shinobi, or even rogues, goes unsaid.

"It's nothing. Just a bruise." She murmurs with a guarded expression. _Hmm... Paranoid? Or maybe an underestimation of my skills? Medics are rare, after all. Rarer still those that know more than just the bare basics needed to keep their team in one piece after a fight._

"On your head be it." Shrugging my shoulders casually, I turn away, awaiting further orders from our taichou.

We travel back to the village together, ANBU shadowing at the heels of the chuunin and jounin escorting Temari. Conversation between the two groups is blessedly rare; I doubt my ability to maintain Mugen indefinitely when around people I know and like.

Later, when we are home, Temari is announced to be the new ambassador between Suna and Konoha. True to her word, after her meeting with the Godaime Hokage, she finds a medic-nin to check over her ribs. Ironically, instead of heading to the hospital, or asking Tsunade-sama or her apprentice for healing, she locates a medic she knows and trusts, more or less: Uchiha Sasuke.

* * *

It's early afternoon, a day after Temari-chan arrived in the village _. And she specifically sought me out to heal her._ I mull over that thought, a small smile playing over my lips. _Hmm. I suppose most ninja prefer to seek out a known ally for healing, given the choice. Someone whose chakra they have at least mild familiarity with. I wonder if that's a subconscious bias of some sort?_

 _Although we met under interesting circumstances, I suppose Temari-chan and I have become good friends since. Especially after Suna and Konoha renegotiated their alliance._

 _I wonder if we'll have any time to socialize, between her meetings and my missions?_

I am at a playground situated close to our home. Once, it had been exclusively used by Uchiha children; I'd played here more than once in my childhood, watched most often by Itachi-nii and occasionally by older cousins, like Shisui-nii. Sitting, back to a large oak tree and nose in a book— an innocuous fiction novel, and not a complicated genjutsu treatise, for once— I keep Kyouya-kun and Kyoko-chan in my peripheral vision. A large umbrella sits folded closed beside me; a precaution against the temperamental weather.

Most of the children at the playground have two shinobi parents, though a handful come from mixed shinobi/civilian marriages. Being older than my wards, they are generally uninterested in playing with so-called 'babies'. _Still, it is good for them to venture out of the family compound nevertheless._

The twins, bundled up in warm navy-colored jackets, are building something or other in the sandbox off to the edge of the playground.

"Sasuke-sensei! Why are you here?" Hotaru's voice rouses me from my thoughts. Glancing up from the book, I arch a brow. "Watching Kyo-kun and Kyo-chan play." I gesture to the twins.

"...At least, until the weather turns again." A quick glance upwards proves the sky is growing darker with heavy, rain-filled clouds, the scent of an oncoming thunderstorm lingering in the air. Winter would be better described as a rainy season in Hi no Kuni; sleet and rain are more common than snow.

"Oh." The Aburame girl hums thoughtfully, glancing from the twins, then back to me, then at the twins again. "I didn't know you had younger siblings."

"Hn." I don't dispute her conclusion; in the eyes of the law they are just my wards, but... Peering over the edge of my book, I stare at the smaller form clinging to Hotaru-chan's hand. A child, maybe four years old, dressed in the hooded jacket and sunglasses typical to Aburame."And that little one is your sibling? Or a cousin?"

"Oh! My little brother, Haru-kun." The child in question shifts in discomfort, the faint buzz emitted from his coat betraying his embarrassment, and gives a half-hearted wave. "He'll be four next month."

"Aa... Kyouya and Kyoko's birthdays are in spring; they will be turning four as well." Danzou's records were frustratingly vague on that point. Childhood milestones indicated they were four, if not five years old already. Clan children tended to be very precocious, Uchiha perhaps more than most. Iryou jutsu placed the twins' fourth birthday somewhere in mid-March. March 17th, we'd decided. More accurately— March 17th, Naoko-chan decided. The rest of us had no problem indulging her.

Gazing at the nervous younger Aburame, I consider. "They will not mind if you join them in the sandbox. If you like." The child mumbles a wordless reply and glances up, eyes entreating, at his older sister. My student smiles, nodding, "It's acceptable. You wanted to meet children outside of the clan. I will watch you from here."

Hotaru and I watch as he approaches Kyouya and Kyoko hesitantly, standing at the edge of the sandbox. The pair of Uchiha stare at the interloper for a moment, before turning their gazes in my direction. A nod of reassurance, and they're waving to the Aburame in greeting.

I flip to the next page of my novel, paying Hotaru little mind as she sits down beside me, umbrella between us. "Off from genin duties today?"

"Yes. One of my teammates broke his wrist during a spar this morning, so sensei let us go early. No C-ranks for a week or two while he recovers." She sighs, a little melancholy.

"You'll have more free time for training." _A rarity, after you make chuunin. And your studies will be more self-guided at that point, as well._ "I don't know what my schedule will be like the next few weeks, but you're welcome to visit, as always. I haven't had much time for talking shop about genjutsu since we last bumped into each other." Glancing over at the trio of children, playing contentedly, if quietly, together— "You can bring Haru-chan, too," I add as an afterthought. "They seem to be getting along well." _A second generation of Uchiha and Aburame friendships? Perhaps I should consider trying to formalize an alliance, once our position as a clan is a bit more stable... It would certainly be worthwhile to foster closer ties._

We chat amiably for perhaps half an hour. Then, the ominous clouds deliver on their promise. A cacophonous crack as lightning strikes somewhere in the distance, and the sky opens up—a trickle of frigid droplets rapidly becoming a deluge. "Kyo-chan, Kyo-kun! Haru-kun!" I call the children over.

I lift Kyouya up first, settling him on my shoulders, as per his silent demand. Kyoko stomps her foot petulantly, glaring at her brother, but remains silent. I offer her a hand, and she grips it obligingly, still scowling. My other hand is occupied by the giant black umbrella, now unfurled over our heads. The heavy rain beats a staccato rhythm on the waterproof cloth.

I glance to Hotaru and Haku, standing hand in hand. "Would you like me to walk you two back? We can share the umbrella." _Or will your jackets be sufficient in keeping the rain off?_

"Thank you, Sasuke-sensei, but we'll be fine." She rebuffs the offer, turning to the toddler clinging to her, "Say goodbye to your new friends, Haru-kun!" The quiet boy blinks owlishly at his sister from behind his sunglasses, and mumbles, "...Bye."

* * *

I walk home slowly, eyes half-lidded with pleasure, enjoying the soft cadence of rain on pavement, on the canvas of my umbrella... Still, I cannot afford to linger as much as I would like; it would be irresponsible to let the children stay out in the cold rain. We make it back in under ten minutes, and I insist on a change of clothes and warm, peach flavored herbal tea for all three of us. No need for anyone to catch a cold.

I leave the twins to their own devices; there's no point in the playpen, as they've learned to escape it, despite the harmless ninja traps included in its design. Besides, while they're bright enough to get into all sorts of trouble, they're also prone to listen to me. As I've asked them to stay inside, the opportunities for any true havoc are limited. Regardless, I create a Kage Bunshin to watch over them discreetly, as usual. I head back outside to enjoy the rainy weather. Wandering through the flooding streets of my home village means little company, and time alone with my thoughts.

Times like these are becoming increasingly rare.

Besides, this sort of weather reminds me of the time Danzou attempted to recruit me, and subsequently of the fact that the man is now permanently out of the picture... A thought that never fails to make me smile.

 _Shoot for the moon, and if you do not succeed you will land among the stars._

 _It is nice, however, that sometimes you catch the moon instead._

After a half hour of walking in the cold rain with no sign of trouble back home, I decide to treat myself. Quirking a small smile, I head towards the nearest teashop, a casual place that doubles as a bakery. It shouldn't be too busy; by now, most people are holed up at home.

 _They may even have a new blend to try. Maybe a pastry of some kind. Should pick up some dessert for the rest of the family, as well._

The bell above the door jingles cheerily when I push it aside, stepping into the cozy room. Barring my sandals, I am mostly dry, as there is little wind and thus the torrential downpour does not fall at a harsh angle. I tuck my closed umbrella into a stand set aside for that purpose. A quick glace proves the place is largely empty of customers.

A flash of blond hair at the corner of my eye causes me to turn. That color is rare in Hi no Kuni.

 _Temari-chan? Must be a low-key day._

 _Surprising; the attack on her has stirred up Konoha like a hornet's nest. Suna is the same, if not worse, I would bet. War could well be in our immediate future, considering Oto trespassed into Hi no Kuni, attacking a diplomatic envoy headed to Konoha. The Kazekage's sister. And when you take into account that Oto also murdered their Yondaime, attempted to murder our Sandaime, desecrated the ancestors of our Godaime...Well, most people find it surprising we aren't at war already._

I call out to her in greeting, "Temari-chan! Good afternoon."

"Sasuke-kun! You have the day off as well?" She waves me over to her table with a smile. "I was glad of the free time, and then the weather turned into... this." The poor girl is soaked, her hair still dripping from the rain, though she's probably been inside for a while, considering the half-finished pot of tea on her table, and the empty plate with a few scattered crumbs. "It never rains like this in Suna!"

"You have sandstorms. We have a rainy season that can cause floods. It evens out." I reason, calmly ordering a second pot of hot tea and a slice of the 'pie of the day' from a waitress attracted by our conversation. "How are you feeling?" _Your ribs may still be tender._ "Enjoying your stay so far? Barring the tedious work of politics."

She rolls her eyes and ignored the first question— _I suppose that means she's fine—_ focusing on the second. "I am, especially since the food here is as fantastic as before. The only downside is living in a hotel for the duration of my stay."

 _I suppose I could...? Ah, no. That could definitely be taken the wrong way._

 _I'll think on it more before offering._

"You could always rent an apartment, or even a house?"

"Hmm," She sips her tea, expression thoughtful, fingers tapping a staccato rhythm on her cup. "Well, I expect to be here for some time. It'd be kind of like having a vacation home, I suppose. Would Tsunade-sama allow it?"

"I'm the wrong person to ask that." _Hokage-sama and I are still somewhat at odds, although we set it aside when needed— typically in Naruto's presence, or when collaborating in the hospital._

"Oho?" She leans forward slightly. I pointedly avoid staring at the way her wet top clings to her chest. "The infamous Senju-Uchiha rivalry? Or something else?"

"Hn. Fishing for information, Suna-chan?" I give her roguish smile, eyes glittering with amusement. She laughs merrily in response; the parallels between this meeting and our first have caught her attention as well.

"No— well, not really. Just curious."

"Hmm." I hum thoughtfully, as if skeptical of her intentions. Pouring myself a second cup of tea, I begin attacking my pie, an interesting combination of pear and cinnamon. "Honestly? Just a difference of opinion." _We are_ _also_ _both exceptionally stubborn people, I suppose. And the infamous rivalry contributes to a lesser extent._ _Frankly... I'll respect her as a colleague and my leader, but I won't trust her to look out for the interests of me and mine. Not anymore._ "She gets along well with Naruto-kun, however."

"Uzumaki? I suppose he's doing well; Gaara mentioned they've been exchanging letters."

"They have. Summons can make for excellent discreet messengers."

She smiles, "Unfortunately, I have a personal contract, not one with a summons clan."

"Both have their merits." Finishing the pie, I set the empty plate aside, and sip contentedly on my tea, warm and full. "Do you have any other plans for your stay in Konoha besides work?"

"Not really; I don't have friends here besides you and maybe Uzumaki. But he's friendly with everyone."

 _Fair enough. It would be easy to remedy that problem, however._ "I can introduce you properly to the rest of our age group, if you'd like?" _Assuming that you don't find socializing with us uncomfortable._

"If you think they wouldn't mind associating with a former enemy." She smirks playfully, "After all, we did crush a few of your lot in the chuunin exams."

I mirror her expression, "Funny, I seem to remember parts of that a little differently..." There is a momentary silence, and we both relax, again sharing a laugh.

"True enough, although I won't turn down a rematch, with either Akimichi, or another one with you, if the opportunity arises. I wouldn't mind sparring your teammate— the Yamanaka, right? That should make for an interesting challenge."

"It's been a few years; all of us have grown, developed our styles in different directions. A few casual spars should be fun." _Although our last spar was not so long ago. It would be fun to dance with you regardless, Temari-chan._ "I'll try to organize a get-together of some sort, then."

We pass the afternoon in the teahouse, chatting amiably about various topics, until the rain lets up enough for Temari to be on her way. "See you later, Sasuke-kun!"

My traitorous mind reasons that this was practically a date, and my cheeks flush with warmth. I glance to the side, hoping the gloom of the early evening hides my embarrassment. "Right... Later."

Watching her turn away, I consider— _What's stopping me, anyway? To hell with it._

"Wait, Temari-chan!"

"Eh?"

"What do you think about dinner?"

* * *

Hee, that last bit turned out a bit cuter than I expected.

And so Act II begins with a little bit of violence and a final dose of fluff before shit hits the fan. I had one more part that I tried to fit in this chapter, but the characters didn't want to cooperate, so there you go.


	11. Chapter 11 - Boilover

**Displaced**

 **Act II— Ouroboros.**

 _And it echoes when I breathe,  
Until all you see is my ghost._

* * *

 _You should watch out._

 _You never know when the weather will turn._

 _You never know when our luck will turn._

 _No question._

* * *

The first sign of trouble is the black cat.

He sees it.

It sees him.

Slit yellow eyes meet apathetic grey, and an inkling of worry blooms to life at the back of his mind. Yes, he jokes about superstitions— mostly in tribute to Obito and his penchant for dreadfully transparent excuses— but all ninja are, on some level, superstitious. Kakashi is no exception. It's something that comes with dealing with death and dealing death on a regular basis. There is always an element of luck to their missions, a razor-thin wire on which balances the likelihood of life and death.

All it takes is one bad day.

So when the message comes, when Godaime-sama calls one Hatake Kakashi instead of ANBU Inu to the tower, he hesitates.

He stalls, lingering by his favorite bookstore just a little longer than usual. Pauses to tease Anko-chan by stealing a stick of her precious dango, leading her on a merry chase around the village before buying her a dozen more in apology. Drops by to check on the Uchiha, snagging a few tasty morsels from the kitchen for an early lunch, much to Sasuke's annoyance.

By the time he makes to the Hokage's office, the lady in question is maybe a little more riled up than usual.

"Four and a half hours, Hatake." She bellows, a hint of killing intent lacing the air in the room. "Four. And a half! You missed. The meeting. Entirely."

"Ah? A black cat crossed my path, so I had to double back and take the long way around. But the direction I chose— well, there was an accident that involved a fruit cart and an adorable puppy, so of course I had to help them clean up, and..." A lovely hand-crafted statuette of a monkey crashes into the wall beside his head, crumbling to dust. _So touchy! Well, maybe I was a little late._ "Did you need me for something, Hokage-sama?"

She throws her hands in the air, and hisses in frustration, "Yes. About four hours ago."

He gives her his best innocent expression, grey eye widening slightly, stance relaxed, arms raised, as if to say— _who, me?_ "Hmm?"

The Hokage grumbles something unintelligible, thrusting a manila folder in his direction, a handful of loose-leaf sheets peeking out. "Forming a new team." Taking the folder, he flips it open, flipping through the records inside— dossiers for a new Team Kakashi. Tsunade-sama, meanwhile, continues talking, "This hasn't been announced yet, except to the jounin that actually deemed it important enough to attend the meeting earlier today, but Oto and Kumo have taken the initiative and sent a formal declaration of war."

Given the context of their conversation, the contents of the folder leave him cold. Posture straightening, Kakashi listens, the papers crinkling as his grip tightens.

"Konoha needs a new generation of heroes."

 _Heroes like your family Tsunade-sama? Like Hashirama and Tobirama of the Senju Clan, who died for this village, for its future? Like the White Fang, first a hero, then a scapegoat, staining his reputation irreparably by standing by his personal beliefs? Like the Sannin, who shattered, all three of them fleeing the village? Like Minato-sensei, who gave and gave and gave pieces of himself to the village, until he sacrificed his very soul to save it?_

Kakashi is understandably bitter. And for once, his expression is serious behind the black cloth that hides his face, gray eye sharp, revealing the calculating mind he hides behind feigned laziness and lame excuses. _You want to turn a team, this new team,_ _my_ _team, into the face of Konoha, an embodiment of the Will of Fire._ "You will make us a target." _You will make them as much of a target as 'Sharingan no Kakashi' is._

"They are Konoha's shinobi, my shinobi. They are already targets. They can handle it."

And it is true. The people she would have him lead— Aburame Shino, Uzumaki Naruto, and Uchiha Sasuke— barring Shino, they are obvious high-profile targets. Technically, Shino could be considered a target of interest merely due to his close ties to Sasuke and Kakashi and his status among the Aburame Clan.

"I suppose so." He doesn't elaborate which part he agrees with, instead commenting glibly, "An interesting choice of members for a team you want on the front lines." _While teamwork likely won't be an issue, both Sasuke and Shino prefer subtlety._ Then he considers Sasuke's fondness for electrocution and setting things— mostly enemy shinobi— on fire, and amends that thought. _Shino_ _prefers subtlety. Sasuke can be subtle when it's called for: for assassinations, or when limited to a support role due to his medic training... Hmm. I suppose he has the chakra pool to do some damage on a larger scale, if needed. Much like me._ _The only typical heavy hitter would be Naruto, with his monstrous chakra capacity and fighting style that has espoused Kushina-nee's overwhelming force rather than Minato-sensei's finesse._

"The team will likely be deployed against Oto first. Since Otogakure is decentralized, with its bases spread through Ta no Kuni and beyond... Likely there will be more guerrilla tactics behind enemy lines than direct fighting." _I know. With the four of us, we should be able to handle reconnaissance, assassination, and heavy combat. But we'll need to have seamless teamwork if we want to succeed._

"Will you do it?"

He inclines his head in agreement. Of course he will; Tsunade is only asking as a courtesy. "How long do we have before deployment?" _How long do I have to drill them until they can fight together even blind, deaf, and broken? I can't—_ He cuts that thought off. Now isn't the time.

"Two weeks. That's the maximum I can give you. Besides, they're already familiar with each other's fighting styles."

"Naruto hasn't worked with any of us for over three years."

"Nevertheless. Two weeks."

* * *

"— Declared war."

"I suppose it was inevitable, huh?"

"—fault, do you think?"

"No, I don't. You don't either."

"I'm surprised the snake bastard announced his intentions formally, as opposed to just staging another attack, like—"

"You don't know. You didn't live through the last war. It was—"

Konoha and its allies are officially at war with Oto and Kumo, and the village is rife with gossip on the matter. Heading home from a quick run to the market for groceries, I ignore it to the best of my abilities, my thoughts tumultuous.

 _Naruto, Sai and I can handle ourselves, I suppose. My friends, as well._

 _Hotaru-chan and her year mates? They are green genin. Luck permitting, they won't see the front lines any time soon._

 _Still. Yoshi-kun is going to graduate this spring, unless they condense the curriculum. Even if they don't... This war will take more than a few short months, even if we can make a series of decisive strikes early on. I'll have to push him to intensify his training. Ryuuji-kun and Naoko-chan, as well. I'll reorganize and condense the training schedules that Naruto and I used before we graduated, and those I made as a genin._

 _And Kyouya and Kyoko... depending on how long the war lasts, they could enter the academy while we are still—_ I shudder internally at that thought. _Hell._ I wonder if this is what a parent feels like, this persistent fear. _Would Kaa-chan have fret like this? Would Otou-sama have worried at all?_ I do not have to wonder about Itachi-nii's feelings on the matter; I know he will worry.

I find Kakashi-sensei on my doorstep, his posture unusually stiff, expression serious. _He is unhappy with whatever he is going to say._

"Sensei."

"Sasuke-kun."

I ease the door open and wave him inside, slipping out of my shoes, and heading off to the kitchen to unpack and sort the groceries. Kakashi-sensei follows me into the room and even helps refill the pantry; his familiarity with how I organize the food a testament to how much time he's spent in my kitchen.

"Thank you." I murmur absently, offering Sensei a seat. "Tea? Something to eat?"

He shakes his head, "No, thank you."

I prepare the tea regardless, and pour myself a cup, sipping it slowly. "You may as well tell me." _If you're this reticent, it can't be good news._

"Hmmm— did you say something, Sasuke-kun?" I resist the urge to roll my eyes, instead keeping my gaze steady. Curious.

"Orders?"

"Yes." A pause, a fraction of a second, but enough to know he is drastically unhappy with whatever said orders may be. "You're being incorporated into a new team, under my direct command, effective immediately. We're to be among the first to be deployed."

"Ah." Another sip of tea, semi-sweet and soothing; I am glad I decided on a calming blend of peach and chamomile. "Who else?"

"Aburame Shino. Uzumaki Naruto."

Brows furrowing in concern, "...No jounin except for you, Sensei?"

"Not formally, no." A single silver eyebrow curving into an arch somehow conveys a sense of amusement, "I know what sort of havoc you and Shino-kun can unleash. And Naruto trained with Jiraiya-sama for over three years."

 _The implication being: the Hokage believes you can handle it. That_ _we_ _can handle it._

"Ah." _Suspicious. Is she trying to get rid of me? No; that wouldn't make sense... not with that sort of team composition._ "When will we be sent out? If you can tell me, that is."

"Two weeks, give or take a few days."

"Hn?" _Seriously? That's not much time to prepare. Then again— desperate times, I suppose._

"We will be in Training Ground Forty-four in the meantime. Be at gate nine tomorrow, zero nine hundred." A sly smile, conveyed by the tilt of his head and the curve of his eye alone, "Oh— and please be there in person, Sasuke-kun."

 _You noticed that I'm a Kage Bunshin?_ I smile sheepishly at being caught out, "Ah. You caught me... I'll make my arrangements. That is, he'll be there."

 _I'll need someone to look in on the kids from time to time. Someone that I trust and that will definitely be restricted to the village? Perhaps Iruka-sensei? Temari— no, she might be recalled to Suna. Maybe. If not, do I trust Temari-chan enough? Dare I?_

I stay at the kitchen table, thinking— planning.

Stay there even after Kakashi says his goodbyes and departs. I rouse from my musings long enough to make a quick dinner for my wards, and eat my own portion mindlessly, staying silent when questioned. After shooing the younger Uchiha out of the kitchen, I clean.

And then, I am back in the same seat, in the same position, hands folded on the table, empty cup in front of me.

Thinking.

I tell my wards— my little brothers and sisters— the news before I tuck them into bed.

Nobody is happy.

 _I'll have to dispel tonight, make sure he knows to head back as soon as possible._

* * *

A deep breath. _Slow. Steady. I can do this._ "I'm not going to tell you to relax, because you're not going to listen even if I say it. But be assured that I'll work as quickly and efficiently as possible." For all that the blasted machine monitoring my patient's vitals beeps a steady rhythm and assures me his pulse, respiration and blood pressure is fine... Shinobi are liars.

Despite everything, Itachi is still a superlative shinobi.

 _I can do this. I know how to do this. I have to do this._

 _...There is a very good reason they don't let surgeons operate on family members._

"Do keep in mind it was you who declined to take any kind of sedative. Although I still think a solid thwack to your head would have been just as good as this arrangement. Ready?" A silent nod from my stoic patient.

"Nao-kun, please engage the seal." There is a ripple of ink on flesh, and my patient— my brother— is both immobilized and forced into unconsciousness, his pulse and respiration slowing appropriately. The familiar figure lies supine on a surgical table. The situation is made more surreal by the fact we cobbled this room together from supplies scavenged from Orochimaru's labs. Not the surgical tools, of course. That would be the stuff of nightmares. No, those were a gift from my summons.

The needed instrumentation takes a few minutes to set up, and then the time for dawdling is over. My hands are steady as I grip the scalpel, lifting it from the tray of sterile tools to my right, its diamond edge glinting under the fluorescent light above my head.

"I'm going to begin. Maya-sama, you'll be watching his vitals, yes?"

"Yes, just like we planned. Do stop fretting, Sasuke-chan. You just focus on the surgery, the rest of us will handle the minor details." I can sense her bustling around the room behind me. "Miyu-chan, remember that you're first assist today. Hand Sasuke-kun the tools he asks for and maintain the sterile field."

A long-suffering sigh from the small figure on the raised platform across from me, the salamander standing there is chest-level to the occupied surgical table. "Yes, Maya-sama. I know."

"Nao-kun" Maya-sama barks, "Keep an eye on the seal integrity. Itachi-chan has a high chakra capacity, we don't need that seal to degrade mid-transplant."

"Hai, Maya-sama" the latter salamander parrots obediently, then mutters bitterly under his breath, "…Insufferable old harridan."

I tune out their bickering— the only thing that exists is my patient and the scalpel in my hand, which is as much extensions of my body as a kunai is to a weapon's master. The procedure maps itself out in my mind step-by-step.

It's a nerve-wracking several hours, but the transplant is a success. So far. My patient will need at least a week of recovery before I'd feel comfortable letting him train with the sharingan. Days before he can take off the bandages acting as a blindfold to look himself in the mirror, to see with cousin Shisui's eyes. It had taken a lot of self-reflection, and then a lot of convincing— but Itachi is the only person I feel comfortable safeguarding that power.

Besides, I'm hardly going to let Itachi sit around sans eyes entirely for any amount of time.

And I'm not— I'm not sure I would be able to keep a grip on my chakra enough to keep from dissipating a Kage Bunshin while removing my own eyes. It's not exactly a safe option.

Luckily, while she insisted I handle Itachi-nii's surgery, Maya-sama readily agreed to oversee my own. After some convincing. All right, after months of logical arguments and groveling.

Now that Itachi is safely in the recovery room, it's my turn.

* * *

 _Figures my recovery time is interrupted with new orders. At least I'll be able to see again before we're punted to the front lines._ Paranoia has me packed for a long-term ANBU mission, regardless of the supposed two-week time limit.

Our house is stocked for a siege, as well: stacks of bento in the refrigerator, scrolls with favorite foods sealed away in the cupboards, and a truly impressive quantity of homemade food in the freezer. _I may have gone a little overboard,_ I acknowledge internally. No surprise, as I didn't sleep much the night before; too many things on my mind. My bunshin didn't sleep much either. Not that they need to, technically.

A simple breakfast is set out on the table— cereal and fruit— waiting for the children to wake. My hands linger on the edge of the kitchen table, caressing the wood, familiar and unfamiliar at once. _I've trained to fight blind in the past, but somehow knowing you can't take the blindfold off makes things... different._ Consciously or subconsciously, there is an extra trickle of chakra being channeled through my nervous system, amplifying the rest of my senses.

It's early. I taste the freshness of the morning air on my tongue with every breath. The chilled air raises goosebumps on my arms once I step out the door. There are a few more items on my to do list before I can head to the Forest of Death.

Because I will be— because being deployed means months away from the village, with scarce letters back and forth due to security concerns. And because there' no guarantee I will be back. I need to ensure my siblings have a safety net.

 _First, the Academy... Iruka-sensei is an early bird. He'll be there by now, preparing for the day._

My feet remember the way. The civilians are still mostly safe and snug in their beds this early, so I can afford to take the scenic route. Let the shinobi in a hurry take the rooftop pathways.

I linger for a moment by the massive tree in the front yard in front of the academy, fingertips touching the weathered rope holding up the familiar, old swing. _This place; it feels like nothing has changed._ "But I have changed, haven't I?" _Nostalgia_ — a small, secretive smile. "We all have." A hand calloused through hours of training and battle, drenched in the blood of shinobi and civilians alike, pats the tree in a comforting gesture before I finally step away.

Strides measured and confident echo in the empty hallways, which are likely painted eerie colors in the pre-dawn light. My luck holds. The door is open, and Iruka-sensei is currently alone in the teacher's lounge. I rap my knuckles against the doorframe, "Good morning, Sensei."

"Sasuke-kun? My, but it has been a while... I don't suppose you're here to teach another seminar soon, are you."

"Mm. No. I would have dropped by on the first day of the academy, but— hn." _My wards didn't start on the first day._ Shoulders lifting in a casual shrug, "Naoko-chan speaks well of you." _If you omit the whining about lectures._

I cut straight to the point. "I wanted to ask if you would check in on her and the others."

Iruka-sensei pales, expression incredulous. "You're being deployed already? They're just— just sending out the first waves this week!"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that." _Yes, soon. And I'll be mostly out of the house 'till then._ "Regardless. Sai-kun and my genin teammates" _– or rather, just Ino-chan— "_ can watch over them until they're deployed, but..." _Unlike them, you're unlikely to be sent out at all, due to your work. Not unless the situation becomes truly dire._ "Well. Hopefully, Ino-chan's specialty is something they'll need here, and not out in the field."

The older chuunin gives me a smile, "Of course, you're right." _Troop movements are largely kept confidential._ "I'd be glad to keep an eye on your kids for you."

I can feel my cheeks flush and bend into a deep bow to hide it."Thank you, sensei. I appreciate it." _I owe you one._

We make a little small talk after that, mostly discussing Naoko's progress in his class, as well as how the other former Root children have been adapting to the school environment. I offer to come in and give the occasional guest lecture when I'm in the village. Really, I should have thought of reconnecting with the man earlier... If nothing else, Iruka-sensei is loyal. And he would protect any child, especially one of his students, with his life. It is one of the qualities that make him such a fantastic teacher.

* * *

"Good morning, Suna-chan!" Any other morning it would be forced cheer, but I've been awake long enough and caffeinated myself enough that I no longer resent the universe for being awake this early.

Temari rolls over on her side, likely squinting blearily at the open window and the windowsill I'm currently occupying. "...Uuu-chiii-haaaa." The surname is ground-out like a particularly vehement curse. "Do you know what time it is?" All of it in throaty rasp, words slurred with sleep.

The corner of my mouth twitches slightly, a smile trying to escape. _Adorable._ But it wouldn't do to laugh outright at her grumpiness. I feign ignorance. "Mm. It's after dawn now. I'm busy for the next two weeks. Thought you might like to grab an early breakfast before I disappear?"

Leaning slightly to the left, I catch the pillow flung at my face, letting it drop harmlessly to the floor. A few shuffling sounds as Temari rearranges herself under the blanket, muttering curses under her breath.

 _Very adorable, like a sleepy kitten._

"After dawn he says. Kami. I've slept like four hours. And you're letting a draft in!" She murmurs into her mattress, likely regretting her decision to throw the pillow. A sigh. "...two weeks, you said?"

A noncommittal hum. "Training trip I've been volunteered to participate in."

"You're lucky I like you." A second sigh, no less heartfelt than the first. "Give me twenty minutes to make myself presentable." She rolls off the bed, landing on the floor with a muffled thump, before rising gracefully, and striding towards the bathroom door— which slams shut behind her, seconds later.

 _Damn. She was half-dressed wasn't she?_

I don't think I've ever resented a piece of cloth more than this blindfold.

* * *

I'm at the pre-arranged entrance to the so-called Forest of Death by half past eight. Unsurprisingly, Shino is there as well. "Shino." I nod a greeting.

"Sasuke." He responds in like, adjusting his sunglasses afterwards. "I will admit to some hesitance in reentering this particular training ground." He doesn't need to elaborate why.

I roll my shoulders, the burn scar hidden under my shirt twinging at the reminder. "Hn," _I agree whole-heartedly_. "Any clue what Sensei has in mind?"

"Situational awareness and survival training would be optimal in these sorts of environs."

"Kakashi-sensei is usually not so... direct." Considering the man was fond of the saying 'look underneath the underneath' it should come as no surprise.

"Aa."

Naruto arrives at a brisk jog five minutes before the deadline, interrupting our sedate conversation. "Made it!" He rounds on me, lower lip jutting out just so, "Sasuke-nii, why didn't you wake me up?!"

"I had things to do this morning. Moreover, aren't you a little too old for something like that?"

Naruto pouts adorably in response. "My alarm clock battery died a few days ago... I haven't replaced it yet. What things?"

 _You're still such a child sometimes, Naruto._

I'm tempted to glare at the probing question, but I don't really mind sharing. So instead, I don an impish smile, "My, what an intrusive question, otouto. What if I was out visiting my sweetheart and was offended by your prying?" I tease, letting him flounder for a few seconds before answering. "I was making sure our younger siblings would have someone check in on them while we're away."

"Eh? Who?" I can almost picture his puzzled expression.

"Besides Ino-chan? Iruka-sensei, mostly. The rest of our generation is likely to be in the field soon enough."

"Oh." By the embarrassed flush, he hadn't thought of that at all.

"Don't worry; you're not used to being an older brother yet." _And before you were a younger brother, you were remarkably self-sufficient. You're biased._ "And they probably don't need as many watchers as I recruited." _So I'm a worry-wart; better safe than sorry. Especially with Kumo declaring as our enemy._

We let the conversation taper off, each dwelling on our own thoughts as we wait for Kakashi-sensei to arrive. Surprisingly—or not, considering the seriousness of the matter, he arrives exactly on time, appearing in a swirl of leaves.

And he is not alone.

No, indeed. Kakashi arrives practically arm-in-arm with Mitarashi Anko. Yes, that Anko.

Sensei acts entirely nonchalant, while the three of us stare at the former exam proctor with growing suspicion. "Yo! How are my adorable teammates today?"

"Good morning, brats!" Anko smiles toothily in our direction, like a snake eyeing an unprotected nest filled with delicious eggs.

 _I need more caffeine to deal with this. A lot more caffeine._ Regardless of my feelings on the matter, I maintain a veneer of politeness, "Good morning, Kakashi-sensei. Anko-san." Shino murmurs his greetings as well. Naruto bounces in place, "Morning, Kakashi-sensei, crazy-snake-examiner-lady!"

 _Speaking of caffeine... Did someone give Naruto-kun coffee? Who hates us that much?_

Kakashi, of all people, gets us on track before Anko and Naruto can start a verbal spar... or any other kind of spar, for that matter. "Well, I suppose I should tell you what I have in mind. Anko-chan, her summons, and the denizens of training ground forty-four are going to be our opponents in this little game." He brandishes a handful of black strips of cloth—four, to be exact. Four blindfolds. "Oh, and these, too. Anko-chan deserves a handicap, after all. Four on one is hardly fair, right?"

 _I swear, I can almost feel the headache coming on._ "You want us to survive in that hellhole, while being hunted by Anko-san. Blind." I reply, expression understandably dubious. _A new hellish twist on the usual teamwork exercises_.

"Exactly, Sasuke-kun! Although, you're already wearing a blindfold, aren't you? I don't see why you're complaining. Besides, I expect all of us have learned tricks for working around a lack of vision." _Naruto's and Sensei's enhanced senses, Shino's kikaichuu, my_ _ **Eyes of the Raijuu**_ _and limited chakra-sensing abilities,_ my mind addends helpfully as I continue to listen with a sinking heart. "And then maybe we'll add these lovely sound-cancelling earmuffs. And these equally lovely ropes to tie our ankles together... A few days in, Naruto-kun, I'll ask that your summons join Anko's. And during the second week, Sasuke-kun, I would like it if yours would join in as our opponents as well."

"We are going to die." I deadpan in a fit of pessimism.

"Or just get very, very good at dodging." Shino contradicts me, though he does not look one iota more enthusiastic at the thought of our next two weeks.

Naruto just groans melodramatically, clutching at his spiky blond hair, "This is even worse than all the crazy chakra control exercises Jiraiya-sensei made me do! And elemental training! Combined!"

Releasing a resigned sigh, I slap Naruto lightly on the back of his head. "No panicking." _Brat._ And then, turning to Kakashi-sensei, "It's always teamwork training with you, Sensei." _Isn't this a bit much?_

"So it is! Let's get started, shall we?" He hands out the blindfolds. After securing mine on top of the bandages currently layered over my eyes I find that, much to my chagrin, the relatively thin cloth is layered with seals— to ensure no light passes through.

* * *

We spend that first few days of training tripping over each other and what feels like over every single root in the damn forest. Ironically, we function better when under attack, whether by wildlife or Anko and her snakes.

Time. Effort. Pain. We gradually improve as the days pass, adapting to the increasing handicaps. Four days into this exercise in madness, we are attacked during our evening meal of MREs— bland but nutritious, and never delicious. No one wants to try cooking blind; that's just asking for Anko to poison us. Additionally, not building a fire makes it a touch more difficult for the local wildlife to find us, and thus less likely it tries to kill us.

The sound of wind on scales.

We stand as one, muscles relaxed, ready to move.

The bitter scent of venom.

I can sense Shino swivel around me, moving from my left side to the front of our formation, soundlessly calling forth a shield of earth as his hands touch the ground with a resounding clap. The serpents crash into the obstacle with a pained hiss.

A sinister chuckle from our right, before— "Ooo! Improvement!" Somehow, we can always hear our tormentor's voice despite the earmuffs. Some sort of specialized fuuinjutsu, most likely. A volley of shuriken cutting through the air, drawing a kunai, I knock them aside with a fluid motion, ensuring none of them approach the four members of Team Kakashi.

"Definite improvement!" Anko chirps from her position in the trees. "Well, I guess it's time to add more opponents!" She is unreasonably cheerful. I scowl in the direction I sense her chakra and heartbeat, instead of where her voice originates from. I can feel more than hear Shino's allies humming in annoyance.

Naruto, of course, expresses all our feelings, loudly. "You totally suck, scary snake lady!" I can feel the rope tying our right ankles together shift with his, no doubt, energetic gesturing.

"Now, now... No need to get so tetchy. It's your team leader that asked for this, even calling in a favor for it. Ne, Kakashi-kun?"

"Maa, maa..." A tired sigh from said jounin; this is not the first time we're having this debate. Nor even the tenth. "You're right. It's time we make this more difficult."

Naruto, again, emphatically expresses our feelings on the matter, emitting a loud groan. "Melee with the toads? Already?"

Rubbing at the bridge of my nose, my blindfold shifting slightly as a result, I mutter under my breath, "At least they're not poisonous." _Most of the salamanders are poisonous._

Our days only get more troublesome from that point on.

As we near the end of the two-week period, we are capable of working together with a frightening about of efficiency while blind. And deaf. And tied together. When, on the last day, we remove our handicaps, the four of us move around each other on the battlefield not as a unit, but as four parts of a whole, fluidly switching between opponents as necessary.

Naruto's wind jutsu boost my flames without prompting. Whether it's the sound of my breath, body language, or some inscrutable sixth sense, my aggravating little brother can flawlessly predict which jutsu I will favor and adapt accordingly. Kakashi and Shino-kun are a formidable duo as well— the former handling offense with lightning, the latter defense with earth. Kakashi and I are a rather terrifying combination when we work in concert at close-range, mixing kenjutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu in a terrifying melding of sharp steel and mind-bending feats. Shino and Naruto, on the other hand— Naruto can increase the surface affected by his wind without increasing cutting force or pressure, spreading Shino's kikaichuu around a given battlefield rapidly. And, as always, Shino and I can combine his skill with his allies with our insect-themed genjutsu. They're enough to have even the stoutest adult run into the woods gibbering in fear.

* * *

We are all pleasantly surprised when Kakashi-sensei cuts our training short a day early, granting us a day of leave prior to our now-verified departure day. Shino heads home, nodding obligingly when I asked him to pass on my greetings to Hotaru-chan and Haru-kun, and inform them that though I'd be out of the village for the foreseeable future, they were welcome to visit the Uchiha home.

Naruto and I head for home as well, bantering playfully.

The next day comes too soon. Breakfast, as usual, is a little chaotic, half-asleep shinobi-in-training rushing in and out of the kitchen, calls of "Where'd I leave that packet of training shuriken?" or "Ryuu-kun, that's my homework, not yours!" echoing. The atmosphere is merry. It is relieving to see them acting like regular children. Prying them out of their shells had taken months of work; Naruto was much more successful at it than I. I admit to some jealousy regarding that. It took him far less time to convince them to start calling him 'Nii-san' than it did me. I was 'Sasuke-san' or 'Sasuke-sama' to all but Kyo-kun and Kyo-chan for what felt like forever.

Breakfast finished, Naruto and I rise and retrieve our packs. I sling mine over my shoulder, toeing sandals on and opening the front door. "Time to go."

Sai, who I thought had left earlier in the morning, lingers by the edge of our property. "Sasuke-senpai. Naruto-kun. Safe travels." _Sai. Keep your promise; watch over our family._ I give a nod in response, "To you as well."

Naruto and I are rushed by a small horde of Uchiha, calls of "Sasuke-nii" and "Naruto-nii" crowding the air. It feels akin to a mother duck being surrounded by a crowd of hungry ducklings. Kyouya and Kyoko cling to my legs like limpets. Naoko is clutching Naruto's middle in a tight hug. Ryuuji nudges her aside with his elbow, angling for a hug from me. I ruffle his hair with a chuckle, obliging. Hesitant, Yoshi lingers at the back of the pack, gaze uncertain. Upon noticing this, Naruto rolls his eyes, and opens his arms wide. The reticent boy glowers at the unspoken invitation, but approaches nevertheless.

"Sasuke-nii, do you and Naruto-nii really have to go?" Questions Naoko as she and Ryuuji switch positions. As always, she is the brashest of my little foundlings.

Eyes softening, I flash a sad smile. "Yes. As shinobi, we go where the Hokage sends us." _And you are fully aware of this, chibi._

"When you come back, will you tell us how the story ends? Does the older brother ever get to come home?" Ryuuji this time, though all of them don puppyish expressions at his request. If I didn't know better, I'd suspect it was a practiced move.

At one point, I ran out of child-appropriate literature to read out loud and had to improvise a story. I used my knowledge of family lore. Surprisingly, they were enthralled. About a month ago, for some reason the only thing that would come to mind was a barely age-appropriate rendition of Itachi's life... I'd reached a stopping point last night, having spoken of the two unnamed brother's reconciliation and uneasy alliance against the malevolent ghost that had orchestrated their estrangement. Where to go from there? I'm not sure.

"Of course." _I'll tell you once I know the ending._ "Don't worry. We'll be home soon enough. And you can write; Naruto-kun and I will send our summons to you."

A handful of last-minute reminders to behave, and I turn away. _Time to meet the rest of Team Kakashi. And a brief meeting with the Hokage. I swear, it's just an excuse for her to see Naruto one last time…_ Naruto-kun lingers a few moments longer, before rushing over and falling into step beside me with a wide grin. "Hey, should be fun, right? Being on a team together."

"Mm."

 _That's practically the only positive about this whole mess._

* * *

"Your first task is to investigate what Jiraiya's network indicates may be a former hideout of Orochimaru's." The fact that it could just as easily be a current hideout hangs in the air like a particularly unpleasant smell. Naruto, the most outwardly demonstrative of our group, gives Tsunade-sama a rather dubious look. "This will primarily be an information-gathering mission." I glance to Naruto, then to Tsunade, then back to Naruto, arching my brow, obviously skeptical.

"The base is located on the eastern border of Ta no Kuni, the mission scroll contains rough directions. Information on Orochimaru and Otogakure take priority."

We travel for a week, sleek shadows cloaked in dark grey, weaving among tree branches made bare by the winter season. What limited conversation exists is carried out through sign language. The atmosphere remains tense, to such an extent that even Naruto-kun remains unusually quiet when we make camp. _It seems the perverted sannin taught Naruto something about stealth after all._

On the seventh day of travel, we reach our destination: the mountainous region that separates Ta no Kuni from its neighbor. Luckily, the directions provided are not as vague as Tsunade-sama predicted, and we manage to locate the entrance that Jiraiya's spies had mentioned.

Had we not been aware of it already, it wouldn't have been particularly difficult to figure out to whom this 'mysterious base' belonged to— the snake motif is a dead giveaway. _You know, I can understand pride in being a summoner, but isn't this just a_ _bit_ _too much? Either Orochimaru is arrogant as fuck, or this is a trap. Or both._

 _...Probably both._

We are faced with a statue, its massive body, scales carefully detailed in the dark stone, curls around a sheer cliff. The mouth is opened in a wide serpentine yawn, fang-like stalactites and stalagmites displayed proudly. The dark chasm within, and whatever hell it leads, is our next challenge.

"So... Into the belly of the beast?" I flash a wry smile, glad at the company, and the ability to be a touch less serious than I can be as Mugen. Naruto grins widely, "Let's hope it doesn't smell too badly in there. I bet snake guts are rank as hell." Kakashi gives an eye-smile, but apparently decides against adding to our conversation.

Shino gives all three of us a poisonous look, before releasing a resigned sigh, eyes doubtlessly rolling behind his sunglasses. "I'll send my scouts in first. Why? They should be able to detect any overt traps."

We settle in for a short wait, body language deceptively relaxed.

 _I wonder if we've started overt battles with Oto forces yet. Or perhaps Kumo, considering their stereotypical level of aggression towards Konoha._

The kikaichu that return from the cave are disoriented, their flight patterns dizzying loops instead of straight. The Aburame in question frowns, lips turning downward slightly. "They have been affected by some sort of psychotropic, or a genjutsu. The latter is unlikely; we know of no illusion that can affect insect minds." A pause, "From what the hive can decipher from the scouts, there is some form of natural light within the caverns, and no human lifeforms are present... We should proceed with care regardless."

 _Well, if the substance affects insects, there's no reason it can't affect humans._ "The poison is either contact or breathable..." _We can't really do much to protect against the former, but—._ I retrieve a rebreather from my pack, a mask-like apparatus of metal and cloth that acts like a HEPA filter. I'd acquired several shortly after beginning my training alongside my summons; a necessity, considering their specialties.

 _If I remember correctly, Sensei has a seal acting as a rebreather on that mask of his._ I glance to Naruto, then Shino. "Either of you want a rebreather?"

Naruto shrugs, nodding, and I toss a second mask-like apparatus to him. _Given his healing factor, he probably wouldn't need it anyway, but better not test our luck._ Shino, on the other hand, declines with a shake of his head, "My allies should be sufficient. Due to our training with poisons, now that we have encountered the substance once, they will be able to produce an... antibody of sorts."

I place the extra rebreathers back onto the storage scroll and reseal them. Shoulders lifting in a casual shrug, I wait for Kakashi to signal our advance. He does so shortly, and we enter the cavernous mouth of the serpent, all but Naruto having to duck at the entrance, due to the low ceiling.

The light is dim, the various rock formation casting eerie shadows on the walls of the tunnel. We travel slowly, cautiously, into the depths. Our steps are silent, barely stirring the dust layered over the bottom of the cave.

The path varies— sometimes, the walls come so close that we are forced to nearly crawl to move forward. Other times, we move freely through cavernous rooms, the floor slick with water that drips endlessly from the ceiling. One cavern even contains a large, mirror-like lake, still as death but for the ripples caused by falling water. There is a lot of doubling back to find the right path.

The roof of the cavern-like tunnels is covered by a phosphorescent moss, the air filled with miniscule, glowing yellow flakes. Shino relays that it is these that are the source of the hallucinations his allies suffered during their exploration of the caverns. Both he and I surreptitiously collect samples for later analysis. Kakashi gives us a knowing glance, eye betraying his amusement, but chooses not to comment.

After a six-mile trek through eerie, empty tunnels, we locate a pair of doors, again decorated with a snake motif. Kakashi-sensei examines the seal overlaying the doors, hands flitting over the complicated design lightly, never making contact. Naruto stands beside him, eyes bright with excitement, murmuring quietly.

Extracting a bottle of ink and brush from some hidden pocket, Kakashi adds a few lines to the seal, and it dissipates with a harmless fizzing sound. I relax slightly, tension bleeding from my shoulders— as useful as seals are, I've come to dislike fuuinjutsu. Not only because of my experiences with Orochimaru, and later Danzou, but also due to the fact I've no natural talent in that art whatsoever, much to my embarrassment. I've only managed to learn the basics, not having the time or patience to commit to more rigorous studies, and depend on my summons and my teammates to compensate for the lack.

The doors creak ominously as they part to admit us after Sensei— _I should really try to think of him as Kakashi-taichou now_ — applies a little pressure.

Weak fluorescent lights flicker to life as we step inside. Tiled floors are cracked with age or perhaps something more sinister. The area certainly seems abandoned, though for what reason, none of us can ascertain. We split into pairs, me with Shino, Naruto with Kakashi, and separate to explore the compound.

It is a research laboratory. Room upon room of experiments— not so different from what I first saw in juinjutsu-induced nightmares over four years prior, and again when earning my induction into the ANBU. I collect any research notes we stumble upon with little emotion, black eyes scanning over the words; I have no wish to memorize more nightmare fuel.

"It was likely abandoned due to the escalating conflict with Konoha." Shino's words echo in the cavernous room we'd just entered. Twisted, rotting forms are suspended within greenish liquid, constrained to massive, column-like tubes.

"Mm. They left behind a lot of research. Bet their leader was likely unhappy at that oversight." Eyes glinting with dark humor, I indulge in a malicious smirk, tapping the austere metal desk in front of me with the stack of papers gathered from within it. "I would feel more guilt about that fact if they didn't spend their time playing 'mad scientist' with human subjects."

Shino hums his agreement, and then tilts his head to the side, a scout alighting on his outstretched hand. "There is someone alive here. A captive, left behind." _He might have useful information... or not. Regardless, he's likely been surviving for days without food and would be of little danger to us._

Nodding to Shino, I follow him until I can sense the sluggish heartbeat of our target. _Possibly sleeping. Likely. I would be causing a racket in my attempts to escape, were I trapped in such a place._

The figure we find trapped in the glass tube looks, at first glance, like nothing special. A young man, naked as the day he was born, curled on his side, asleep. He looks close to us in age, and is likely shinobi trained, given his overall musculature and size of his chakra stores. Shockingly white hair. Abnormally sharp teeth, if the snaggletooth peeking out of one corner of his mouth is any indication. It makes me think of Momochi Zabuza. _Abducted from Kirigakure due to the unrest?_ That and the fact that he is sleeping in a tank filled with water without any problems breathing.

I take a quick glance around, but no notes on this 'experiment' are readily available. Gesturing towards the prisoner, I arch a brow in silent query. _Shall we wake him?_ Shino nods, and taps gently on the glass. Both Shino and I stare blankly as the boy springs awake and immediately begins to yell obscenities. _Ah, the joys of lip reading._ We can't hear any of his yells, of course. Exchanging a glance with Shino, I reach forward and punch the glass container to get the brat's attention. The glass quivers, but does not break. The prisoned stops yelling, staring in confusion. I tap the Konoha headband on my forehead, and arch a brow, "Cooperate and we'll let you out."

Luckily, the young man can lipread. The captive nods in agreement, and I gesture for him to sit. Contemplating the best way to cut, my hand lingers at the hilt of my sword. The blade slices through the air, striking the glass tank at an angle— cutting through easily. Water sloshes out, soaking our feet. The snaggletooth ninja climbs out of the tank with relative ease, despite the high wall. He scowls, grumbling, "You could have cut lower, you know. Thanks for nothing."

"Oh? Would you prefer to go back in the tank?" Smiling mischievously, I slide my blade back into its sheath. "There might be an empty one somewhere. I'm sure we could manage to accommodate your wishes. The snake bastard would be glad to have such a loyal captive." Shino snorts in amusement. Orochimaru's captive laughs outright, "Ha! Good sense of humor... Very cutting."

"Answer some questions and we can go our separate ways." _Needless to say, the questions will be answered one way or another. The genjutsu I've cast to make you more 'honest' will help. If we have to drag you all the way home to T &I, the results would be unpleasant._

"Hmm... What'll you trade me for it? How about that sword of yours?"

"No. But I can offer you some clothes, and limited rations." _Shinobi clothes are made to be easily adjustable, and all of us are carrying multiple spare uniforms. And ridiculous amounts of MREs and meal bars._ "Unless you're a nudist, of course. Nothing wrong with that." My tone is intentionally lighthearted, expression impish.

The sharp-toothed youth rolls his eyes, leaning back onto his heels, stretching slightly. "Yeah, whatever, fine. Sure you won't part with the sword?"

"Hn. When did Orochimaru abandon this base?" Stance relaxed, I watch our new... acquaintance.

"Ehh... Maybe two weeks ago?" His stomach gurgles with hunger at the reminder, "Rations, you said?" I slip a pair of meal bars from my pocket, and then a scroll filled with a week's worth of MRE's from my vest, tossing both to the not-a-nudist. I follow up with a pair of pants, which hit Suigetsu in the chest while he stuffs his face, much to my amusement.

"Ugh! MRE's. Why must it always be MRE's?" Suigetsu grumbles and groans around his meal bar, crumbs spraying, as he inspects the rest of his newly acquired supplies, tugging on the black shinobi pants. He waves away the offer of a shirt.

"Beggars cannot be choosers." Shino retorts, light glinting sinisterly off his sunglasses.

"Thank you, preachy quiet bastard." Suigetsu grumbles, tucking his new foodstuffs into various pockets. I can practically taste Shino's amusement from here. "You're welcome."

I chuckle softly at their interactions, "Right. Did you find anything else?" I direct the question to Shino, who shakes his head. "Stripped the place of anything useful."

"Ruddy tree-hugging bastards, ignoring me..."

"That's Tree-hugging-bastard-sama, to you." I joke with a smile, enjoying the easy banter. Shino just bristles quietly, annoyed.

"Well, weren't your parents interesting people? Mine's Suigetsu."

"Sasuke." I deadpan, cheery mood gone at the mention of parents, I ask more directly— "Anything useful you can tell us about Orochimaru's operations?"

"He's a dick, and obsessed with immortality. And acquiring jutsu. And experimenting on people. Like I said: he's a dick." _Useless. Well, if he's intent on not being cooperative..._

Shino interrupts my train of thought. "We should get going." _Fair enough; Suigetsu doesn't seem inclined to divulge anything useful. If he's a spy, he'll probably agree to come along, and we can keep an eye on him. But if he was a spy, he'd probably have some weapons nearby; we didn't find any._

A sharp nod in agreement. We turn to depart, the water covering the floor rippling at the motion, but pause before stepping back out into the hallway. "Konoha is at war with Orochimaru." I intone, "You could always join us." _Get your pound of flesh in revenge. Or we can go our separate ways._

"Nah. I got other shit to do than join a tree-worshiping cult. But... I owe you one, for getting me the hell out of that tank."

"Good luck in your travels, then." We ghost from the room, heading out to rendezvous with Naruto and Kakashi. In the end, we're forced to make a rather faster exit than planned. Naruto and Kakashi encountered and dispelled several large and exceptionally hungry snake summons; Orochimaru certainly knows of our presence by now.

* * *

Uhh... This chapter kind of got away from me. Slipped the leash and ran off to the Antarctic.

Oops? Well, you get an extra long chapter in compensation for it being late.

Happy (if slightly belated) Christmas wishes, for those of you that celebrate it! And for all, a Happy New Year!

I'll be taking January off from writing to try and squeeze Internal Medicine into my head—my exam is in February. The next update should be sometime after February 17. After that, I'll be out of mostly-finished chapters into the wild, wild empty pages where the muses frolic (or not). So, yeah. We'll see. It's a given that my update schedule will become much more erratic. I have two stupidly expensive national exams in spring (science help me).

...in other news: methinks Orochimaru won't take encroachment into his territory lightly.

P.S. Thank you to Eikyuu Sonomi for catching my Mizu/Kiri typo in this chapter. And for being such an enthusiastic, diligent reviewer, too!

* * *

*Lyrics quoted at the top of the chapter are from "I Of The Storm" by Of Monsters and Men.


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